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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND 
BUREAU OF FISHERIES 

GEORGE M. BOWERS, Com^Mtche* 



OTTION AND EXTENT OF THE NATURAL 
OYSTER BEDS AND BARREN BOTTOMS OF 
MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALABAMA 

By H* F. Moore 

Assistant in Charge pf Scientific Inquiry 



Bureau -of Fisheries Documeot No* 769 




WASHINGTON 
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1913 



DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR 

BUREAU OF FISHERIES 

GEORGE M. BOWERS, Commissioner 



CONDITION AND EXTENT OF THE NATURAL 

OYSTER BEDS AND BARREN BOTTOMS OF 

MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALABAMA 

By H. F. Moore 

Assistant in Charge of Scientific Inquiry 



Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 769 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1913 



<b 



^ 



•\ 






D. OF D, 
IAR 18 1913 



CONDITION AND EXTENT OF THE NATURAL OYSTER 

BEDS AND BARREN BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI 

SOUND, ALABAMA 

By H. F. Moore 

Assistant in Charge of Scientific Inquiry 



Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 769 



CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Introduction 5 

Methods of the survey <5 

Description of the natural beds : 

King's Bayou Reef 12 

Buoy Reef 13 

Cedar Point Reef 15 

Pass des Huitres 17 

Pass des Huitres Flats _ IS 

Dutch Gully 19 

West side of Dutch Island .- 20 

Big Gully '. . 21 

Peter Billy's Gully 22 

Grants Pass 23 

Pass aux Herons 25 

Redfish Gully. ! 27 

Black Lumps 28 

West side of Little Dauphin Island 29 

Mussel Gully - 29 

Sand Reef 30 

Dauphin Island Bay 31 

Sprinkels Bay ' 33 

Collier Bay 34 

Off East Base signal 34 

Half-Moon Patches 35 

Heron Bay; east side 35 

Heron Bay, west side : 36 

Heron Bay, northwest arm 37 

Middle Ground, Fowl River Bay 38 

Grassy Island 38 

Goose Bayou 39 

Southwest of Van signal '. 40 

East side of Marsh Island 40 

Portersville, State-planted bed 41 

Portersville Bay, north end 41 

West side of Coffee Island 42 

The beds in summary 42 

Barren bottoms 48 

Near Half-Moon Patches 49 

Heron Bay 50 

Portersville Bay (including Fowl River Bay) 50 

Mississippi Sound, south of Portersville Bay 50 

West of Coffee Island - - - 50 

North end of Coffee Island 50 

Grand Bay 51 

South of Grand Bay 51 

3 



4 CONTENTS. 

General physical and biological conditions: Page. 

Tides and currents 51 

Salinity of the water 52 

Oyster food 53 

Oyster enemies 54 

Spawning 56 

Oyster culture 57 

Resume, conclusions, and recommendations 58 

Description of chart 61 



CONDITION AND EXTENT OF THE NATURAL OYSTER BEDS AND 
BARREN BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



By H. F. Moore, 

Assistant in Charge of Scientific Inquiry. 



INTRODUCTION. 

At the request of the Alabama Oyster Commission, through its 
president, Mr. John Craft, and on the representations of the several 
Senators and Representatives in Congress from that State, the Bureau 
in February, 1910, made a preliminary examination of the oyster- 
producing regions of Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound. It ap- 
peared from this examination that the oyster interests were of suffi- 
cient present and prospective importance to warrant a survey and 
report on the productive and barren bottoms of Mississippi Sound. 

The triangulation of the region was begun by the Coast and Geo- 
detic Survey, under an arrangement for cooperation between the two 
bureaus, during the summer of 1910, and was maintained so far in 
advance of the requirements of the biological and hydrographic work 
of the Bureau of Fisheries that the latter never suffered a moment's 
delay for lack of triangulation points. 

Although the work performed by the Coast and Geodetic Survey 
in connection with this investigation is of a character not requiring 
treatment in the text of this report, the State authorities charged 
with the administration of the oyster laws should appreciate it as 
that part of the results which has the most enduring value. The 
accurately determined and substantially marked stations furnish to 
the State an invaluable and permanent basis for the survey and 
delimitation of leaseholds of barren bottom for purposes of oyster 
culture, and if properly used will enable Alabama to avoid the em- 
barrassment and litigation which elsewhere have been consequent on 
faulty surveys and descriptions. No survey not properly based in 
and referred to this triangulation should be countenanced in oyster 
leases granted by the State. 

The biological and hydrographic survey, which was conducted by 
the Bureau of Fisheries, began about the middle of November, 1910, 
when the steamer Fish Hawk arrived in Mobile Bay, and it was con- 
cluded in May, 1911, part of the interim being employed in a similar 
survey in Mississippi waters. The purpose of the survey was the 

5 



6 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 

accurate determination of the location, extent, and condition of the 
natural oyster beds and the examination of the barren bottoms hi 
relation to their adaptability to oyster culture. 

No oyster survey of the region covered by this report had been 
made previously, although the important beds adjacent to Grant's 
Pass had been the subject of reconnoissance in 1894.° 

METHODS OF THE SURVEY. 

The methods employed were those pursued in former surveys of 
like character and are explained in detail in a description of the beds 
of the James River, 6 from which some of the following is repeated: 

A "boat sheet" was prepared, on which were accurately platted 
the positions, as determined by triangulation, of lighthouses, build- 
ings, tripods, etc., used as shore signals. These data were furnished 
by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. 

The oyster beds were discovered by soundings with a lead line, 
but principally by means of a length of chain dragged over the bot- 
tom at the end of a copper wire running from the sounding boat. 
The wire was wound on a reel and its unwound length was adjusted 
to the depth of water and the speed of the launch, so that the chain 
was always on the bottom. Whenever the chain touched a shell or 
an oyster the shock or vibration was transmitted up the wire to the 
hand of a man whose sole duty it was to give heed to such signals 
and report them to the recorder. 

The launches from which the soundings were made were run at a 
speed of between 3 and 4 miles per hour. At intervals of three 
minutes — in some cases two minutes — the position of the boat was 
determined by two simultaneous sextant observations of the angles 
between a set of three signals, the middle one of which was common 
to the two angles, the position being immediately platted on the 
boat sheet. At regular intervals of 15 seconds, as measured by a 
clock under the observation of the recorder, the leadsman made a 
sounding and reported to the recorder the depth of water and the 
character of the bottom, immediately after which the man at the wire 
reported the character of the chain indications since the last sound- 
ing — that is, whether they showed barren bottom or dense, scat- 
tering, or very scattering growths of oysters. 

With the boat running at 3 miles per hour the soundings were 
between 80 and 90 feet apart, and, as the speed of the boat was 
uniform, the location of each was determinable within a yard or two 
by dividing the platted distance between the positions determined by 
the sextant by the number of soundings. The chain, of course, gave 

a Report of a reconnoissance of the oyster beds of Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound, Ala., by Homer P. 
Ritter, assistant, United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. Published in Bulletin United States Fish 
Commission, vol. XV, 1895, p. 325-329, pi. 56-63. 

'6 Moore, H. F. : Condition and extent of the oyster beds of James River, Va. Bureau of Fisheries Doc- 
ument No. 729. 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 7 

a continuous indication of the character of the bottom, but the record 
was made at the regular 15-second intervals observed in sounding. 

The chain, while indicating the absence or the relative abundance 
of objects on the bottom, gives no information as to whether they 
are shells or oysters, nor, if the latter, their size and condition. To 
obtain these data it was necessary to supplement the observations 
already described by others more definite in respect to the desired 
particulars. Whenever, in the opinion of the officer in charge of the 
sounding boat, such information was required, a numbered buoy was 
dropped, the time and number being entered in the sounding book. 
Another launch, following the sounding boat, anchored alongside the 
buoy, and a quantity of the oysters and shells were tonged up, sepa- 
rated by sizes, and counted. 

This boat at each station made a known number of " grabs" with 
the oyster tongs, exercising care to clean the bottom of oysters as 
thoroughly as possible at each grab. In a given depth of water and 
using the same boat and tongs, an oysterman will cover practically the 
same area of the bottom at each grab, but, other factors remaining the 
same, the area of the grab will decrease with an increase in the depth. 

Careful measurements were made and tabulated showing the area 
per grab covered by the tonger employed on the work at each foot of 
depth of water and for each pair of tongs and boat used. With these 
data, and knowing the number of "grabs," the number of oysters of 
each size per square yard of bottom was readily obtainable by simple 
calculation. The following example will illustrate the data obtained 
and the form of the record: 



Department of Commerce and Labor, 
bureau of fisheries. 



Field record of examinations of oyster beds. 

General locality, Mississippi Sound, Ala. 

Local name of oyster ground, Pass des Huitres. 

Date, December 29, 1910. Time, 1.05 p. m. 

Angle, C 193-C 194. Buoy No. 2. 

Depth, 3 feet. Bottom, Hard. 

Condition of water, Clear. 

Density, 1.015. Temperature, 58° F. 

Current, Stage of tide, Flood. 

Tongman, Bryant. 

No. grabs made, 6. To'ngs, 10 feet. 

Total area covered, 2.4 sq. yds. 

M -. +1 (— 1 in., 6. 1 in.-3 in., 119. 

No. oysters taken^ '. . ' 

I3m.-4in., S3. 4 m., 0. 
Quantity shells, 0. 

I Spat per square yard, 2.5. 
Culls per square yard, 45.4. 
Counts per square yard, 13.7. 



8 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 

This furnishes an exact statement of the condition of the bed at 
the spot, which can be platted on the chart with error in position of 
not more than a few yards. From the data obtained a close estimate 
may be formed of the number of bushels of oysters and shells per 
acre in the vicinity of the examination, and, by multiplying the 
observations, for the bed as a whole. In the course of the survey 
775 observations were made at various places, principally on the nat- 
ural rocks, but some on the barren bottoms also. 

In estimating the productiveness of the bottoms it appeared desir- 
able to use the method employed in Delaware Bay a rather than that 
followed in the James River survey. 

Where tongs are used exclusively a bed with a given quantity of 
oysters lying in shoal water is more valuable commercially than one 
with the same quantity of oysters in deep water, owing to the fact 
that the labor of the tonger is more efficient on the former. As has 
been pointed out, the area covered by a "grab" decreases with the 
depth, other factors being the same; and, moreover, the deeper the 
water the greater is the labor involved in making the grab and the 
smaller is the number of grabs which can be made in a given time. 
Where, however, the depth is practically uniform and shoal, as in the 
region treated in this report, it is unnecessarily refined and laborious 
to make such allowance for depth, and it is nearly as accurate and 
satisfactory to rate the bottoms in accordance with an arbitrary 
standard. 

The classification adopted in this report is as follows: 

Depleted bottom Less than 25 bushels per acre. 

Very scattering growth Between 25 and 75 bushels per acre. 

Scattering growth Between 75 and 150 bushels per acre. 

Dense growth Over 150 bushels per acre. 

In this classification no oysters less than 3 inches in length are 
considered, as the rating is made solely in respect to what are assumed 
to be marketable. It may therefore occur that bottom covered by 
an enormous growth of small oysters may be regarded, both in the 
text and on the chart, as depleted on account of the few large oysters 
which it bears. A reference to the tables which accompany the 
description of each bed will show cases of this kind. "Depleted 
bottom" is in a measure an unfortunate term, as it implies that it 
has retrograded in productiveness, whereas in reality in many cases 
it may be barren bottom gradually changing to productive. The 
term is employed to designate a definite present condition without 
regard to the past, and is retained despite its false implication, 
because no better has been suggested. 

« Condition and Extent of the Natural Oyster Beds of Delaware. By H. F. Moore, assistant, United 
States Bureau of Fisheries. Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 745, 1911. 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 9 

Under the biological and economic conditions obtaining in Missis- 
sippi Sound in 1910-11, the bottom rated as bearing a scattering 
growth, on which there are more than 75 bushels of marketable 
oysters per acre, is regarded as the least productive bottom capable 
of furnishing a livelihood to the tongers. Some of the very scattering 
growth may be capable of supporting a fishery for market, but most 
of it is not. On the other hand, some of the dense growth is of a 
character to make it practically worthless for market purposes, and 
while the oysters are abundant enough, the economic conditions are 
not such as to warrant tonging. 

The barren bottom, which constitutes by far the greater part of 
the area covered by the survey, was examined principally with respect 
to the character, stability, and fixity of its constituent materials. 
This part of the investigation was more thorough and accurate than 
in any previously conducted, principally through the use of a mud- 
sounding machine devised by the writer several years ago. In 
previous surveys the character of the bottom has been determined 
by the indications of the sounding lead and pole, which are largely 
matters of opinion and will not correspond with any accuracy in the 
hands of different persons. To overcome this difficulty the Bureau 
now employs the instrument figured on next page. It consists of a 
large annular bottom (P), from which rises a tripod (T, T) supporting 
two castings (C and C). Passing freely through shaped orifices in 
the castings is a steel rod (R) 46 ^ inches long, provided with a rack 
and a plunger head (H) 3 inches long and £ inch in diameter. Linked 
to the underside of the lower casting is a pawl (X) connected to the 
sliding weight (W), which, when at rest, engages with the rack in 
such manner as to prevent the fall of the rod. 

To use the instrument, a pole of sufficient length is inserted in the 
eyes at the side of the castings. The rod is raised as far as it will go 
and is automatically locked in position by the rack and pawl. The 
instrument is then lowered until it rests on the bottom and the rod is 
released by pulling on a line attached to an eye at the upper end of 
the weight. As the plunger always falls through the same distance, 
it strikes the bottom with a uniform impact, and the depth of its 
penetration is a comparative measure of the consistency of the 
bottom. 

In practice, the instrument is used from an anchored boat, and to 
secure a representative reading from 6 to 10 tests are made close 
together. Any markedly aberrant readings are eliminated, on the 
assumption that the plunger has either come into contact with an 
accidental obstruction, such as a shell, or has fallen into a crabhole 
or other minor cavity. The average of the remaining depths of 
penetration, read off in inches in a scale stamped on the rod, is 



10 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 




SECTION A-A. 



Mud sounding machine used to determine character of oyster bottom. 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOT7XD, ALA. 11 

regarded as the index of the bottom consistency. The following 
arbitrary scale is adopted in this report. 

Hard bottom Penetration less than 4 inches. 

Stiff Penetration between 4 and 8 inches. 

Soft Penetration between 8 and 13 inches. 

Very soft Penetration between 13 and 18 inches. 

Ooze Penetration over 18 inches. 

On the accompanying chart the consistency of the bottom is indi- 
cated by symbols which are more readily read than lettering — a 
black circle indicating hard bottom; a black semicircle, stiff mud; a 
black quadrant, soft mud; a circle containing two crossing diameters, 
very soft mud; and a circle with one diameter, ooze. Bottom falling 
within the first two classes, provided it be not shifting sand, is firm 
enough for oyster planting; the harder the bottom the more thickly 
the oysters may be planted without danger of becoming engulfed. 
Soft bottom should be used with care, and toward its upper limits 
may reouire preliminary hardening with sand or shells. Very soft 
bottom and ooze should not be considered. The instrument described 
has been given a thorough test and has shown itself to be satisfactory 
for the purpose of oyster surveys. Its readings are reliable where 
the consistency of the bottom is fairly uniform in the stratum pene- 
trated, but there is likely to be an error of interpretation in the case 
of a hard sand or shell bottom overlaid by several inches of soft mud. 
Such cases are readily detectable, however, by probing with a pole, 
as is always done where the instrument is used. 

In the prosecution of the work previously described, 357.1 miles of 
soundings were run and the chain was dragged over the bottom for 
the same distance, 16,960 soundings were made, and 3,340 angles for 
position of the boat were taken. Oysters were tonged, counted, and 
measured, and other biological observations made at 464 stations, 
and the consistency of the bottom was tested at 311 places exclusive 
of those on the oyster beds, a total of 775 places at which the bottom 
was examined. The survey covered a total area of 93,000 acres, of 
which 4,000 acres were oyster beds in which the sounding lines were 
closer together and the examinations made in more detail than on 
the barren bottoms. 

The account of the oyster beds which follows proceeds from a 
detailed description of the several beds, with the data of all productive 
observations, to a consideration of the region as a whole and the 
requirements for its economic development. 



12 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE NATURAL BEDS. 

KINGS BAYOU REEF. 

The name Kings Bayou Reef was somewhat doubtfully applied 
by the pilot to an oyster bed lying about 5 miles northeast of the end of 
Cedar Point. It is about lj miles long and \ mile wide, its greater 
dimension being east and west, beginning 1 mile offshore in about 3 
feet of water. This is an old reef, and, like the others in this part of 
Mobile Bay, it is built up in places several feet above the general 
level of the bottom. At its outer or offshore end the water shoals 
abruptly from 10 feet on the mud bottom to 6| feet on the reef. 

The extent and character of the oyster growth on this bed are 
shown in the following table: 

Oyster Growth on Kings Bayou Reef. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


Dense 


Acres. 
39 
40 
3 


Bushels. 
296 
205 

108 


Bushels. 

234 

91 

6 


Bushels. 

11,544 

8,200 

324 


Bushels. 

9,126 

3,640 

18 


Bushels. 
20, 670 
11,840 


Depleted 


342 


Total 


82 






20, 068 


12, 784 


32,852 









The dense area is hook-shaped in outline and extends along the 
entire 'northern and western edges of the reef, with a brief gap near 
its middle, and it is probable that the reef consisted formerly of two 
dense areas separated by soft mud. The oysters are mostly in 
clusters of 8 or 9, often with very many small spat. The large oysters 
are long, oval, and thin edged. Very little debris was taken in the 
tongings. 

The very scattering growths cover a compact area on the south side 
of the bed and extending between the two limbs of the dense area. 
On this part of the bed the depth varies from about 7£ to 10 feet, 
indicating that it is of more recent development than the denser parts. 
There is yet no considerable accumulation of shells. While the 
quantity of large oysters per acre is but about 40 per cent of the 
number found on the area of dense growth, small oysters are nearly as 
abundant, ranging in places between 91 and 496 bushels per acre. 

The depleted area is a small patch separating the two areas of 
dense growth above alluded to. While large oysters are scarce, there 
is a considerable quantity of young growth. 

The details of examination of Kings Bayou Reef follows. 



OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
Details of Examination of Kings Bayou Reef. 



13 



Angle 
No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 
of 

water. 


Character of growth 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 




Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


1 


Nov. 21, 1910 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Nov. 22,1910 

do 

do 

Nov. 21,1910 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 


Feet. 
9.00 
9.00 
9.00 

10.00 
7.00 
6.50 
5.50 
3.50 
6.00 

10.00 
7.00 
8.00 
6.50 
6.00 
6.00 
7.00 
8.50 




6.5 
2.5 
4.5 
31.2 
22.3 
9.5 
10.0 
14.7 
11.1 
7.4 
9.1 
4.7 
21.1 
14.0 
6.7 
8.4 
8.1 


35.5 
12.5 
17.5 
64.2 
38.0 
24.5 
11.1 
32.2 
32.7 
9.0 
19.8 
18.1 
49.8 
11.5 
6.3 
1.4 
12.9 


11.0 

12.0 

6.0 

43.2 

13.1 

18.0 

9.0 

9.1 

10.0 

4.5 

3.3 

3.4 

18.0 

1.6 

3.5 

.0 

.8 


Bush. 
294 
105 
154 
672 
422 
238 
148 
328 
307 
115 
202 
151 
496 
178 
91 
69 
147 


Bush. 

176 

192 

96 

691 

209 

288 

144 

146 

160 

72 

53 

54 

288 

26 

56 



13 


Bush. 
470 


2 

7 

8 

14 

5 

63 

64 

65 

3 

6 

9 

10 

11 

12 


do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Very scattering 

do 

do 

do 

do 

....do 




297 
250 
1,363 
631 
526 
292 
474 
467 
187 
255 
205 
784 
204 
147 


13 






€9 


4 


do 




160 



BUOY REEF. 

This reef, as defined in the present report, consists of a number 
of detached bodies of oysters varying from 1 to upward of 100 acres 
each. The name is apparently somewhat indefinitely applied, but 
is used here to designate the series of beds beginning with that lying 
south of the wreck buoy off Cedar Point and stretching northward 
for a distance of about If miles. This apparently includes all or part 
of what Ritter describes as Birmingham Reef. The large area lying 
south of the buoy is connected with Cedar Point Reef by an area of 
very scattering growth which doubtless marks an original line of 
separation between the two, over which oysters have been spread by 
the operation of dredges. In general all of these beds have sharply 
defined borders, rising abruptly a foot or two above the surrounding 
muddy bottom. They are resorted to principally by dredgers to 
whose use they are set apart by law. The oysters are in clusters. 

The distribution of« oysters according to density of growth is 
shown in the following table : 

Oyster Growth on Buoy Reef. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over o 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 

202 

34 

19 

12 


Bushels. 

209 

165 

76 

29 


Bushels. 

324 

108 

62 

4 


Bushels. 

42, 218 

5,610 

1,444 

348 


Bushels. 

65,448 

3,672 

1,178 

48 


Bushels. 

107, 666 

9,282 

2,622 






Depleted 


396 


Total 


267 






49, 620 


70,346 


119,966 











14 



OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



The dense growth covers about 75 per cent of the total area, and 
either constitutes the entirety of the several beds or forms a center 
fringed by less dense areas, as shown in the chart. 

The oysters are in clusters containing a fair proportion of large 
individuals. In the areas of dense growth, the market oysters exceed, 
numerically and in volume, the young under 3 inches in length, but 
on the less densely populated parts of the beds young oysters prepon- 
derate over the old ones. The depth of water over the areas of dense 
growth varies from 6 to 8 J feet and on the adjacent less dense parts 
of the beds it is usually a foot or two deeper. 

A few drills were found here and some dead oysters, but in general 
the beds seem to be in good condition and capable of producing a 
good supply of oysters of indifferent quality. The market oysters 
on this and Kings Bayou and Cedar Point Reefs ran about 300 to 
the bushel, and it required over 700 of the small oysters under 3 
inches in length to fill the same measure. 

The following examinations were made : 

Details of Examination of Buoy Reef. 



Angle 
No. 



27 
29 
30 
31 
51 
57 
58 
62 
90 
91 
92 
94 
95 
100 
101 
102 
106 
24 
25 
26 
105 
21 
22 
23 
104 
103 
20 
18 



Date of 




Depth 
of 

water. 


examination. 




Feet. 


Nov. 21,1910 


9.50 


do 


9.00 


do 




8.00 


.....do 




8.00 


do 




7.00 


do 




10.50 


do 




10.00 


do 




10.00 


do 




10.00 


do 




8.00 


Nov. 22,1910 


8.50 


Nov. 21, 1910 


8.00 


do 


7.00 


Nov. 22,1910 


9.50 


do 


8.00 


do 


8.00 


Nov. 21, 1910 


7.50 


do 


8.00 


do 


8.00 


do 


9.00 


do 


7.00 


do 


10.00 


do 


8.00 


do 


9.00 


Nov. 22,1910 


8.00 


do 


9.50 


do 


8.00 


do 


9.00 


do 


10.00 


do 


9.50 


do 


8.50 


do 


9.50 


do 


7.50 


Nov. 21,1910 


6.50 


do 


6.00 


do 


9.00 


Nov. 22, 1910 


6.50 


Nov. 21,1910 


9.00 


do 


8.00 


do 


9.00 


Nov. 22, 1910 


8.00 


do 


8.50 


Nov. 21,1910 


8.00 


do 




9.00 



Character of growth 



Dense. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 



....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 

do. 

....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 



Oysters caught per 
square yard. 



Spat. 



14.2 

10.5 

21 5 

5.2 

11.5 

11.7 

2.8 

7.2 

25.0 

7.4 

7.7 

12.6 

8.1 

.0 

.8 

8.3 

2.8 

10.0 

10.9 

6.5 

1.1 

7.8 

8.2 

12.0 

2.6 

10.0 

18.3 

.0 

4.5 

1.0 

10.0 

14.7 

15.6 

15.0 

5.1 

5.0 

5.5 

.0 

3.0 

4.0 

.0 

5.9 

.4 

7.5 



Culls. 



11.5 
66.5 
19.0 
21.7 
37.8 
31.0 
27.8 
21.1 
19.4 
20.0 
16.3 
24.0 
42.3 
15.2 
13.5 
24.3 
28.5 
32.5 
10.9 
13.0 
14.5 
20.4 
19.6 
22.5 
27.8 
11.6 
16.1 
24.5 
8.9 
3.2 
17.7 
18.4 
22.8 
61.0 
29.0 
47.5 
14.2 
7.5 
45.0 
8.0 
9.6 
11.8 
17.0 
30.5 



Counts. 



13.0 
34.5 
11.7 
17.4 
19.2 
22.8 
15.0 
13.9 
27.3 
13.5 
39.0 
24.0 
36.7 
22.6 
16.1 
20.4 
25.0 
17.5 

7.8 
18.0 
13.7 
11.1 

8.2 
13.0 
35.7 
19.5 
34.8 

6.5 
12.8 
17.9 
30.4 
15.2 
22.8 
27.0 
31.0 
22.0 
33.4 
12.0 
29.5 
12.5 
32.6 
12.7 
14.0 
34.0 



Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 



Seed. 



Bush. 
180 
540 
284 
188 
345 
299 
214 
198 
311 
192 
168 
256 
354 
106 
100 
228 
219 
298 
153 
136 
109 
197 
195 
242 
213 
151 
241 
172 
94 
29 
194 
232 
269 
533 
238 
307 
138 
52 
336 
84 
67 
124 
123 
266 



Market. 



Bush. 
208 
554 
187 
278 
307 
365 
240 
222 
437 
216- 
625 
384 
586 
362 
257 
327 
400 
280 
125 
288 
219 
178 
131 
208 
571 
312 
556 
104 
205 
286 
487 
243 
365 
432 
495 
352 
535 
192 
474 
200 
522 
203 
224 
542 



Total. 



Bush. 
388 
1,094 
471 
466 
652 
664 
454 
420 
748 
408 
793 
640 
948 
468 
357 
555 
619 
578 
278 
424 
328 
375 
32t» 
450 
784 
463 
797 
276 
299 
315 
681 
475 
634 
965 
733 
719 
673 
244 
810 
284 
589 
327 
347 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
Details of Examination of Buoy Reef — Continued. 



15 



Angle 

No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 
of 

water. 


Character of grow 


th. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 




Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


16 


Nov. 21,1910 
do 

Nov. 22,1910 
do 

Nov. 21,1910 

:....do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Nov. 22,1910 

do 

Nov. 21,1910 

do 

Nov. 22, 1910 
Nov. 21,1910 
Nov. 22, 1910 
Nov. 21,1910 

do 

do 

Nov. 22,1910 
Nov. 21,1910 


Feet. 
8.00 
8.00 
8.00 
8.00 
10.00 
9.00 
8.00 
10.00 
8.00 
7.50 
7.00 
9.00 
9.00 
9.00 
10.00 
10.00 
10.00 
11.00 
11.00 
10.00 
10.00 
12.00 


Dense 


3.4 

2.5 

1.3 

4.4 

4.5 

5.0 

13.5 

2.8 

14.8 

5.6 

8.9 

6.0 

.0 

.0 

6.7 

.0 

.0 

.0 

7.3 

7.8 

.0 

.0 


29.7 

9.0 

13.0 

21.8 

15.0 

14.0 

9.1 

6.1 

33.0 

3.6 

10.0 

13.0 

.0 

2.5 

8.9 

1.2 

.0 

.0 

6.0 

7.2 

.0 

.0 


9.4 

9.9 

8.7 

27.4 

8.9 

5.0 

5.7 

5.0 

9.1 

2.8 

6.3 

3.5 

4.0 

2.0 

4.5 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

1.1 

.0 

.7 


Bush. 

232 

81 

100 

183 

136 

133 

158 

62 

335 

64 

132 

133 



17 

109 

8 





93 

105 






Bush. 

150 

158 

139 

438 

142 

80 

91 

80 

145 

45 

101 

50 

64 

32 

72 









IS 



11 


Bush. 


17 
66 

67 


do 

do 

do 




239 
239 


47 








48 
54 


do 

do 




213 


49 


do 






50 


do 






37 
99 
93 


Very scattering. 

do 

do 




109 
233 
189 


15 
19 

78 
28 


do 

do 

do 




64 
49 
181 


S9 
59 
60 


do 

do 

do 








93 


61 


do 




123 


107 
44 


do 

do 





11 









CEDAR POINT REEF. 

This is a long, narrow bed extending from the end of Cedar Point 
for a distance of about 1^ miles toward the wreck buoy. It is now 
connected with the southernmost bed of Buoy Reef by a very scat- 
tering growth lying on what was comparatively recently barren 
bottom, the original zone of separation being indicated by a narrow 
gully carrying 8 J feet of water lying between depths of about 6 feet 
on the adjacent parts of the two reefs. It is probable that this very 
scattering growth is the artificial product of dredging operations. 

The area, density of growth, and estimated content of small and 
market oysters are shown in the following table: 

Oyster Growth on Cedar Point Reef. 



Character of oyster growth. 



Oysters per acre. 



Under 3 
inches. 



Over 3 
inches. 



Estimated content of oysters. 



Seed. 



Market. ; Total. 



Dense 

Scattering 

Very scattering 
Depleted 

Total.... 



Acres. 
100 
21 
24 
56 



140 
121 
36 



Bushels. 

340 

130 

41 





Bushels. 

14, 000 

2,541 

864 

4,984 



Bushels. 

34, 000 

2,730 

984 





Bushels. 

48,000 

5,271 

1,848 

4,984 



201 



22,389 



37, 714 



60, 103 



The reef consists of a narrow ridge of very dense growth extending 

from the gully above mentioned, flanked by scattering and very 

scattering growths along the southern edge of its offshore half and 

on the northern edge of its inshore half by a fringe which gradually 

65397°— 13 2 



16 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



decreases shoreward from a scattering growth to a depleted area 
which extends to low-water mark. For the outermost mile of its 
length the reef is hardly more than 200 yards in width and the dense 
growth averages about 100 yards wide. Within a half mile of shore 
the dense area expands and curves southward to connect with the 
corresponding area of Pass des Huitres bed. The proportion of 
market oysters to small ones is generally high throughout this dense 
area and is relatively much lower on the less densely populated 
bottoms. 

As has been already stated, the scattering and very scattering 
growths occur as fringes along the edges of the dense growth. The 
depleted area expands on the shoreward part of the reef, extending 
from the dense growth to the shore, as widely scattered clusters of 
small o} 7 sters lying on the sand. These clusters lie in very shoal 
water, and although the growth was not examined with care, it appa- 
rently extends for some distance northward from the end of Cedar 
Point. 

The depth of water lying over Cedar Point Reef varies from 6£ 
feet at its outer end to less than 2 feet at the inner edge of the area 
of dense growth. The surrounding water is generally about 2 feet 
deeper than over adjacent parts of the reef. 

The following table shows in detail the results of the examinations 
made on the bed : 

Details of Examination of Cedar Point Reef. 



Angle 
No. 



Date of 
examination. 



Depth 
of 

water. 



Character of growth, 



Oysters caught per 
* square yard. 



Spat. 



Culls. 



Counts 



Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Total. 



38 
41 
42 
69 
70 
73 
74 
75 
80 
81 
83 
84 
85 
96 
108 
109 
110 
111 
113 
97 
79 
71 
43 
82 
76 
112 
72 



Nov. 21,1910 

do 

do 

Nov. 22, 1910 

do 

do 

....do 

....do 

do 

....do 

....do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Nov. 21,1910 

Nov. 22, 1910 

do 

do 

do 

do 



Feet. 
9.00 
6.00 
7.00 
6.00 
5.00 
6.00 
8.00 
7.00 
5.50 
8.00 
8.00 
7.00 
6.00 
9.25 
7.00 
6.00 
5.00 
7.00 
5.00 
7.00 
6.00 
5.50 
9.00 
8.50 
8.00 
6.00 
6.00 
6.50 



Dense 

do.... 

....do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

Scattering 

do 

do 

Very scattering 

do... 

do... 

do... 

do... 

Depleted 



7.5 

8.0 

4.8 

1.6 

5.9 

6.7 

14.0 

16.0 

10.5 

6.0 

' 4.0 

1.9 

1.0 

.0 

.7 

.6 

2.4 

.7 

.0 

2.6 

12.3 

3.2 

.0 

2.0 

3.3 

1.1 

1.1 

12.2 



60.0 

19.4 

21.5 

9.0 

9.0 

17.8 

14.6 

4.0 

12.6 

7.3 

27.3 

13.0 

18.4 

8.5 

8.9 

11.9 

17.6 

.0 

7.1 

6.7 

19.0 

7.9 

.0 

6.0 

2.0 

5.5 

5.0 

.5 



44.5 

19.4 

23.0 

6.8 

9.7 

23.3 

19.4 

9.3 

15.2 

18.0 

24.6 

17.4 

35.2 

16.5 

30.4 

14.7 

44.8 

20.6 

11.4 

7.8 

8.1 

8.4 

.0 

2.7 

3.3 

3.8 

2.8 

.0 



Bush. 

473 

192 

184 

74 

104 

172 

200 

140 

162 

93 

219 

104 

136 

59 

67 

87 

140 

5 

50 

65 

219 

78 



56 

37 

46 

43 



Bush. 
706 
310 
368 
109 
155 
373 
310 
149 
243 
288 
394 
278 
564 
264 
487 
236 
717 
332 
182 
125 
130 
134 

43 
53 
61 
45 




Bush. 
1,179 
502 
552 
183 
259 
545 
510 
289 
405 
381 
613 
382 
700 
323 
554 
323 
857 
337 
232 
190 
349 
212 

99 
90 
107 
88 
89 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



17 



PASS DES HUITRES BED. 

This is a bed of indeterminate boundaries, being continuous with 
Cedar Point bed on the north and on the south with Pass des Huitres 
Flats and the whole series of beds extending to Dauphin Island Bay 
inside of Grants Pass and as far as Pass Drury in Mobile Bay. The 
names applied by the oystermen to the beds in the vicinity of Grants 
Pass designate general localities rather than defined beds, and for the 
purposes of this report their boundaries have been arbitrarily selected 
and are not definitely indicated on the chart. For this reason the 
areas assigned to the several beds may differ somewhat from those 
which would be regarded by others as proper, but as the excess or 
deficiency of one bed is compensated for by decreasing or increasing" 
its neighbors, the total area of all of the beds, which is the important 
fact, is not affected. Pass des Huitres bed takes its name from a 
channel having about 13 feet in its deepest part and shoaling to 4 feet 
or less at each end, which sweeps in a curve about 350 yards off the 
end of Cedar Point. Its area and the conditions of its oyster growth 
are shown in the following table : 

Oyster Growth on Pass des Huitres Bed. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


Dense 

Scattering 


Acres. 
53 
30 


Bushels. 
365 
213 


Bushels. 

303 

92 


Bushels. 
19,345 
6,390 


Bushels. 
16,059 
2,760 


Bushels. 
35,404 
9,150 


Total 


83 






25.735 


18, 819 


44,554 











The dense growth lies principally south and east of the channel, 
though some of the bottom most prolific of market oysters is in the 
deepest water. Most of the marketable oysters are between 3 and 4 
inches long, but in the deeper water the proportion of larger ones is 
greater than elsewhere. There is a good ratio of single oysters and 
small clusters on this bed and the shape is therefore better than on 
the beds previously described. The quality at the time of exami- 
nation was fair. 

The scattering growth lies north of the channel on the edge of the 
barren bottom extending to Cedar Point. The oysters on this area 
of hard sand and shell bottom are nearly all single or in small clusters. 
There were, hi December, 1910, practically no oysters over 4 inches 
in length and a great abundance of individuals less than 3 inches 
long. 



18 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



The following table exhibits the data obtained from the examina- 
tion made of this bed : 

Details of Examination of Pass des Huitres Bed. 



Angle 
No 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre." 




Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


445 


Dec. 29,1910 

do 

do 

do 

Jan. 1, 1911 
do 

Jan. 5,1911 
do 

Dec. 29,1910 

do 

do 

Jan. 5, 1911 


Feet. 
3.50 
4.00 
5.00 
5.00 
2.00 
2". 50 
11.00 
13.00 
4.00 
5.00 
4.00 
7.00 




1.8 

.0 

15.7 

.0 

2.0 

.0 

4.1 

4.5 

5.5 

2.5 

3.5 

4.8 


31.8 

30.0 
77.5 
71.3 
33.5 
48.8 
65. 7 
30.9 
13.0 
33.2 
40.1 
19.2 


6.4 

18.0 

20.6 

23.2 

17.5 

18.9 

25.0 

21.8 

6.5 

5.0 

7.5 

4.0 


Bush. 
235 
210 
654 
499 
249 
342 
486 
248 
129 
250 
305 
168 


Bush. 
104 
288 
330 
372 
280 
302 
400 
350 
104 

80 
120 

64 


Bush. 
339 


446 


do 


498 


447 


do 


984 


449 


do 


871 


496 
497 


do 

do 


529 
644 


530 


...do 


886 


531 

448 


do 


598 
233 


450 
451 
532 


do 

do '. 

do 


330 
425 
232 



PASS DES HUITRES FLATS. 

This bed, contiguous with the preceding and the following, lies on 
the shallow flats south of Pass des Huitres, where the depth at low 
water ranges from 6 inches to 2 feet, excepting on the western side, 
where a depth of 5 feet is found on the edge of the area of very scat- 
tering growth. 

The area, density of growth, and total content of oysters on the bed 
as arbitrarily defined in this report are shown in the following table: 

Oyster Growth on Pass des Huitres Flats. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 

inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


Dense 


Acres. 
122 

41 
39 


Bushels. 
296 
131 

26 


Bushels. 

304 

139 

46 


Bushels. 

36,112 

5,371 

1,014 


Bushels. 

37,088 

5, 699 

1,794 


Bushels. 
73,200 




11,070 




2,808 




Total 


202 






42,497 


44,581 


87,078 









The dense growth lies in the part of the bed toward Mobile Bay, 
where it commences as a sharply defined ridge rising abruptly from a 
depth of about 3 feet over the mud to about 1 foot near the edge of the 
oysters. The eastern part of the dense area is composed of a mass 
of shells, but in the western part there are some sandy areas covering 
a shelly substratum. 

The scattering growth merges with the western edge of the dense 
area where the water begins to deepen, and this hi turn passes grad- 
ually to an area of very scattering oysters lying on soft mud in which 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



19 



are many buried shells. The majority of the oysters on this part of 
the bed are large, over 4 inches in length, while elsewhere, particu- 
larly on the dense growth, there are comparatively few such oysters, 
and most of the smaller ones, both market oysters and culls, are in 
large closely compacted clusters. 

The data gathered by the several examinations on this bed are as 
follows : 

Details of Examination op Pass des Huitres Flats. 



Angle 
No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 
of 

water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 




Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


442 


Dec. 29,1910 

do 

do 

do 

Jan. 1, 1911 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Dec. 29,1911 


Feet. 
3.00 
3.00 
3.00 
5.50 
1.80 
2.20 
2.50 
1.40 
2.10 
2.00 
2.40 
2.80 
6.00 


r 




6.3 

2.5 

10.0 

2.7 

3.5 

.0 

7.2 

3.6 

.0 

.0 

5.0 

.6 

.0 


35.8 
45.4 
45.4 
10.0 
55.5 

8.0 
34.2 
30.5 
67.5 
29.0 
61.7 
18.1 

3.6 


18.7 
13.7 
17.1 
10.0 
42.0 
6.0 
23.2 
11.4 
38.0 
11.5 
17.8 
8.7 
2.9 


Bush. 
295 
346 
388 

89 
414 

56 
290 
239 
473 
203 
467 
131 

26 


Bush. 
299 
219 
274 
160 
672 

96 
372 
182 
604 
183 
284 
139 

46 


Bush. 
594 


443 


..do 




565> 


444 
452 
489 
490 
491 
492 
493 
494 
495 




..do.... 
..do.... 
..do.... 
..do.... 
..do.... 
..do.... 
..do.-.. 
..do.... 
..do 


:.:::::: 


662 
249 

1,086 
152 
662 
421 

1,077 
386. 
751 


488 


s 

V 


cattering 
ery scattt 




270> 


453 


,ring — 


72 



DUTCH GULLY. 

Dutch Gully bed lies in and about an area of slightly deeper water 
between Pass des Huitres Flats on the north and Big Gully and 
Dutch Island beds on the south. The depth of the water ranges 
from about 6 inches to 3 or 4 feet, the latter depth lying on the area 
of scattering growth. Although this bed, like the others in the 
vicinity, is without well defined boundaries, it is assumed in this 
report to have approximately the following area, density of growth, 
and oyster content: 

Oyster Growth on Dutch Gully Bed. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 

inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 
39 
19 


Bushels. 
206 

222 


Bushels. 
253 
101 


Bushels. 
8,034 
4,2i8 


Bushels. 
9,867 
1,919 


Bushels. 
17,901 
6,137 






Total 


58 






12,252 


11, 786 


24,038 











The dense growth, which lies principally in a depth of less than 2\ 
feet, occupies the central part of the bed. The clusters generally 
are small with a considerable proportion of single oysters. The 



20 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



market oysters are of medium size, most of them being between 3 and 
4 inches long with a few of greater length. The young growth is 
prolific. The areas of scattering growth are two, lying respectively 
to the east and west of the dense growth in slightly deeper water. 
In these areas the oysters are generally in clusters, lying on a hard 
bottom. The young growth is slightly more abundant than on the 
denser portions of the bed. 

The following table expresses the details of the several examinations 
made on the bed: 

Details of Examination of Dutch Gully. 



Angle 
No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre." 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


475 


Dec. 31,1910 

do 

do 

do 

do 


Feet. 
1.8 
1.0 
2.8 
4.3 
1.0 




2.3 
1.3 
.8 
2.3 
9.6 


31.3 
23.3 
22.2 
33.1 
18.3 


15.3 
16.8 
15.4 

8.5 
4.2 


Bush. 
235 
172 
211 
248 
196 


Bush. 
245 
269 
246 
136 
67 


Bush. 
480 


476 

477 
485 


do 

do. 


441 

457 
384 


487 


do 


263 









WEST SIDE OF DUTCH ISLAND. 

Dutch Island is a small shell bank called Gull Island on the Coast 
Survey charts. The oyster bed designated by the name used above 
extends from the western edge of the island to barren bottom, between 
Dutch Gully and Peter Billy's Gully. 

The following table exhibits in summary the data relating to this 

bed: 

Oyster Growth on West Side of Dutch Island. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 

inches. 


Seed. 


Market. Total. 




Acres. 
42 
21 
24 


Bushels. 
322 
298 
165 


Bushels. 

279 

99 

13 


Bushels. 
13,524 
6,258 
3,960 


Bushels. 

11,718 

2,079 

312 


Bushels. 


Scattering 

Depleted 


8,337 
4,272 


Total 


87 






23,742 















Close to Dutch Island there is an area of hard shelly bottom with 
a growth of densely clustered irregular-shaped small oysters, prac- 
tically devoid of market stock. Over most of this area the water is 
very shallow, reaching a maximum of 2 feet. To the westward of 
this is an area of dense growth, most of which lies in water from 2 to 
4 feet deep, with a maximum of about 5 feet at its western edge. On 
this part of the bed there are few oysters over 4 inches long, most of 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



21 



the so-called market stock being between 3 and* 4 inches in length 

and growing in heavy clusters. The scattering growth lies in a zone 

between the dense growth and the soft muddy bottom of Mississippi 

Sound in an average depth of water of about 5 feet. Practically 

none of the oysters of marketable size are over 4 inches long. On 

both this area and on the bottom covered with dense growth young 

oysters are abundant, varying from 180 to 546 bushels per acre, with 

an average density of over 300 bushels per acre. 

The following data state the results of the examinations made on 

this bed: 

Details of Examination of Dutch Island. 



Augk 
No.' 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
" square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


436 


Dec. 29,1910 

do 

do 

Dec. 31,1910 
do 

Dec. 29,1910 
do 

Dec. 31,1910 


Feet. 
4.50 
4.00 
5.00 

. 1.00 
3.00 
5.00 
5.00 
3.00 




4.4 
• .5 
5.6 
3.6 
2.5 
6.2 
9.4 
4.2 


53.8 
25.5 
72.5 
28.4 
33.4 
44.5 
25.0 
19.4 


17.4 
12.5 
29.4 
16.9 
14.2 
5.6 
6.8 
.8 


Bush. 
408 
182 
546 
224 
252 
355 
241 
165 


Bush. 
228 
200 
470 
270 
227 
88 
109 
13 


Bush. 
636 


437 
438 
473 
474 
433 


do 

do 

do 

do 


382 
1,016 
494 
479 
443 


439 
472 


do 

Depleted 


350 

178 



BIG GULLY. 

This bed, which it is understood is also known as Grants Pass 
Gully, lies between the dolphin, or cluster of piles marking the eastern 
entrance to Grants Pass, and Dutch and Grant Islands. The depth 
of water varies from 9 or 10 feet close to the dolphin to less than 1 
foot near the island. 

The area of density of growth and total content of small and 
marketable oysters are shown in the following table: 

Oyster Growth on Big Gully Bed. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 

inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 
44 
10 
11 


Bushels. 

284 

277 




Bushels. 

310 

80 




Bushels. 

12,496 

2,770 




Bushels. 

13,640 

800 




Bushels. 
26, 136 


Scattering 

Depleted 


3,570 



Total .-. 


65 






15,266 


14,440 


29,706 











In the deeper water close to the dolphin and for a distance of 200 
or 300 yards west and northwest in the area indicated as "depleted" 
on the chart, there are practically no oysters, either large or small, 
the bottom being composed in large part of soft mud with buried 



22 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



shells. The area of scattering growth lies south and west of this 
in a depth of water between 1 and 5 feet. Although this part of the 
bed bears but about one-fourth as many market oysters per acre 
as are found on the dense area, there are practically as many small 
ones. The bottom bearing the dense growth of market oysters 
lies between that just described and Dutch and Grant Islands, its 
western limit being defined by the very shallow water extending from 
Dutch toward Grant Pass. The depth of the water ranges from 
about 1 to 5 feet and the market oysters vary in quantity from 160 
to upward of 600 bushels per acre. The densest growth occurs 
north of Grant Island, and on the steps lying between that point and 
Gull Island there is a large proportion of single oysters, a considerable 
number of them being large. 

The foregoing description is based in part on the data shown in the 
following table : 

Details of Examination of Big Gully (Grants Pass Gully). 



Angle 
No. 


Date of 


Depth 
of 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


examination. water 

1 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


478 
480 


Feet. 

Dec. 31,1910 ! 5.0 

...do 5-0 


Dense 

do 


0.6 
3.1 
1.0 
4.1 
1.2 
.0 


30.0 
27.4 
50.0 
46.0 
38.4 
.0 


19.4 
10.0 
38.0 
10.4 
5.0 
.0 


Bush. 
214 
213 
357 
351 
277 



Bush. 
311 
160 
604 
166 
80 



Bush. 
525 
373 


482 


do 

do 

do 

do 


2.0 
1.6 
1.2 
7.0 


do 


961 


484 


do 


517 


483 
479 


Scattering 

Depleted 


357 




PETER BILLYS GULLY. 

This lies opposite Big Gully and on the west side of the shallow 
water lying south of Dutch Island. It includes the oysters lying 
between the bed on the west side of Dutch Island and Grants Pass 
bed and is continuous with both. Its area, character of oyster 
growth, and contents are shown in the following table: 

Oyster Growth in Peter Billys Gully. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 
39 
14 

28 


Bushels. 

324 

40 




Bushels. 

245 

38 

6 


Bushels. 

12,636 

560 




Bushels. 

9,555 

532 

168 


Bushels. 
22, 191 




1,092 




168 






Total 


81 






13, 196 


10, 255 


23,451 













OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



23 



The eastern part of this bed is a small area of very scattering 
growth lying north of a long shell bank west of Grants Island. It lies 
in the very shoal water which stretches north to Gull Island, on a 
deposit of an inch or two of soft mud on a substratum of hard sand 
and shells. The oysters are small and poor. West of this lies the 
dense growth covering an area of about 39 acres in a depth of water 
varying from 1 to 5 feet. This bottom consists of densely com- 
pacted sand and shells, with oysters of the raccoon type in clusters. 
On the western border of this growth there is a depleted area on which 
there are few oysters of any size. The bottom changes gradually 
from hard sand and shell close to the dense area to soft mud with 
buried shells on the western border of the bed. 

Details of Examination of Peter Billys Gully. 



Angle 
No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character ol growth. 


Oysters caught per 
' square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre." 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


428 


Dec. 29,1910 

do 

do 

Dec. 31,1910 

do 

do 

do 

Dec. 29,1910 
do 


Feet. 
5.00 
4.50 
4.00 
3.00 
1.00 
3.00 
1.50 
5.50 
6.00 




5.6 

4.4 

4.0 

1.2 

.0 

1.7 

.0 

.0 

.0 


38.7 

76.1 

58.0 

30.4 

21.9 

35.8 

5.7 

.0 

.0 


15.6 
15.5 
26.5 
11.2 

9.7 
13.3 

2.4 
.7 
.0 


Busk. 

310 

564 

434 

221 

153 

263 

40 






Bush. 

250 

248 

424 

179 

155 

213 

38 

11 




Bush. 
560 


431 
432 

468 


do 

do 

do 


812 
858 
400 


470 
471 
469 
430 
434 


do 

do 

Very scattering 

Depleted 

do 


308 

476 

78 

11 





GRANTS PASS. 

Grants Pass is a dredged channel cut through the oyster beds 
which extend as a practically unbroken reef from Cedar Point to 
Little Dauphin Island and separate Mobile Bay from Mississippi 
Sound. The channel itself carries a minimum depth of about 11 
feet, but at the Mobile Bay end the water shoals to about 8£ feet, 
and opposite the western or Mississippi Sound end to about 6f feet 
at low water. There is a row of 7 dolphins or clusters of piles for 
25 to 60 yards north of the thread of the channel. The oyster bed 
designated by the name of this pass is here arbitrarily assumed to lie 
not only in the deep water of the channel, but to extend as a strip 
about 200 to 250 yards wide on each side of the row of piles above 
described, with the exception of the cluster at the Mobile Bay end, 
which is assumed to lie in Big Gully bed. This bed was extensively 
worked by tongers during the period of the survey and with Pass 
aux Herons, which adjoins it to the south, produced the bulk of the 
oysters taken by tonging in the winter of 1910-11. 

The extent and productiveness of this bed are shown on the table 
following. 



24 



OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
Oyster Growth in Grants Pass. 



Character of oyster growth. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 

inches. 


Seed. 


Market. Total. 




Acres. 
64 
21 
42 


Bushels. 

275 

159 

70 


Bushels. 

359 

112 

22 


Bushels. 
17,600 
3,339 
2,940 


Bushels. \ Bushels. 
22,976 ' 40,576 




2,352 5,691 




924 | 3,864 






Total 


127 






23,879 


26,252 


50, 131 











About one-half of the area included within this bed is covered by 
a dense growth of market oysters, the eastern half being especially 
productive. The oysters are larger than most of those produced in 
this region and of better shape. There are many in the channel, 
especially south and east of Grants Island, but on account of the 
deep water, which reaches a maximum of 19 feet, and the strong 
currents the work is arduous at most times, and most of the tonging 
is done in depths of from 3 to 5 or 6 feet on the south side of the 
eastern half of the channel. No boats were observed at work on 
the north side of the row of dolphins. 

The scattering growth on this bed lies in two patches — one of about 
13 acres surrounding Grants Island and the other of about half the 
size between the easternmost two channel marks and continuous with 
the similar growth on Big Gully bed. The oysters in the latter area are 
somewhat larger and better than those surrounding Grants Island. 
The depleted bottom lies at the western end of the bed, between the 
dense growth and the barren bottom. Both the young and the mar- 
ket oysters here lie in patches of varying productiveness. 

The following table shows the character of this bed at the several 
places at which detailed examinations were made : 

Details op Examination of Grants Pass. 



Station 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
\\ ater. 


Character of growth 


Oysters caught per 
' square yard . 


Estimated quantity of 
oysters per acre. 


No. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


180 


Nov. 24, 1910 
Dec. 8,1910 
Dec. 29,1910 

do 

do 

Jan. 5,1911 

do.. 

do 

do 

Nov. 24,1910 

do 

Dec. 31,1910 
Jan. 5,1911 
Dec. 8,1910 

do 

Dec. 29,1910 

do 

do 


Feet. 
7.00 
4.30 
5.00 
4.50 
4.00 
17.00 
13.00 
14.00 
11.00 
6.25 
6.50 
2.00 
13. 00 
4.50 
5.30 
5.50 
5.50 
3.00 




6.7 
14.5 

7.5 

10.6 

.0 

10.8 

5.0 
10.0 

2.5 

5.2 
17.1 
17.4 

5.4 

13.3 

.0 

3.3 

2.0 
17.5 


31.1 

14.5 

23.8 

31.8 

46.5 

30.0 

25.0 

51.0 

32.5 

13.2 

5.5 

21.2 

5.9 

6.1 

.0 

.0 

3.3 

4.2 


25.6 

17.0 

17.5 

20.6 

16.5 

23.3 

45.0 

20.0 

16.6 

7.7 

7.1 

5.5 

7.7 

.0 

1.3 

.0 

5.3 

.4 


Bush. 
265 
203 
219 
297 
326 
281 
210 
427 
245 
129 
158 
271 
79 
136 

23 
37 
152 


Bush. 

410 

272 

280 

330 

264 

373 

720 

320 

265 

123 

114 

88 

123 



21 



85 

6 


Bush . 
675 


299 


.do. 


475 


425 


.do. 


499 


426 


....do.... 


627 


427 
525 


do 

...do.. . 


590 
654 


526 
528 
529 


do 

do 

. .do. 


930 

747 
510 


178 




252 


179 


do 


272 


481 


....do.... 


359 


527 
300 
301 


do 

Depleted 


202 
136 
21 


422 


. .do.. . 


23 


423 

424 


do 

do 


122 
158 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



25 



PASS AUX HERONS. 

This bed is continuous with the preceding and the following, without 
any definite demarcation of its boundaries. It surrounds a hole or 
blind pass from which it takes its name, in which there is a maximum 
depth of water of about 18 feet. The depth rapidly decreases, the 
water becoming quite shoal on each side and at the western end, 
although a draft of 5 or 6 feet can be carried on to the eastern end at 
low water. 

This is in every respect the most important and prolific of the beds 
examined, and with the exception of Sand Reef, which has little or no 
present economic importance, it is, as arbitrarily defined here, the 
largest. 

The following table summarizes the data relating to its extent, 
character of oyster growth, and content of oysters : 

Oyster Growth in Pass aux Herons. 



Character of oyster growth. 



Dense 

Scattering....... 

Very scattering 
Depleted 

Total 



Acres. 

211 

14 

43 

24 



Oysters per acre, j Estimated content of oysters. 



Under 3 
inches. 



Over 3 
inches. 



Bushels. 

233 

32 

78 

15 



292 



Bushels. 
520 



Seed. 



Bushels. 
49, 163 



3,354 
360 



Market. 



Bushels. 

109,720 

1,316 

2.279 



53,325 113,411 



Bushels. 


158,883 


1,764 


5,633 


456 



166,736 



A dense growth having an average content of 520 bushels of market 
oysters per acre covers nearly 75 per cent of the entire area assumed 
for this bed, and in one place there are 1,170 bushels of market 
oysters and 1,494 bushels of all sizes per acre. The densest part of 
the bed lies between the deep water of the pass and Grants Pass, 
principally south and southeast of Grants Island. There is also a 
very dense area in a peninsula-like projection into Mobile Bay, about 
east of Grants Island and surrounded on the northeast and west by 
soft mud. During the winter of 1910-11 there were many tongers 
operating on these areas of very dense growth, and the best oysters 
produced in large quantities came from them. A larger proportion 
of oysters over 4 inches long was found here than at any other place 
examined in this vicinity. The areas of scattering growth occur in 
small patches of 9 and 4 acres, respectively, at the eastern or western 
limits of the bed. In the larger area the oysters are similar to those on 
the dense growth, with a considerable proportion of large ones of fair 
shape #nd quality. 

There are three areas of very scattering growth, one at the eastern 
edge of the peninsula above referred to, another along the western 



26 



OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



edge of the dense area and the third separated from the preceding 
by a narrow belt of depleted bottom and continuous with the scat- 
tering growth at the western limit of the bed, the two constituting 
practically a small detached bed. 

Details of Examination of Pass aux Herons. 



Angle 
No. 



165 
166 
167 
168 
169 
170 
171 
176 
177 
181 
182 
183 
184 
185 
186 
187 
188 
189 
190 
280 
281 
282 
283 
284 
285 
286 
287 
288 
289 
290 
291 
292 
293 
294 
295 
296 
297 
298 
305 
309 
331 
332 
"342 
520 
522 
524 
173 
174 
172 
175 
191 
310 
192 
304 
306 
307 
308 
313 
242 
302 
303 
311 
312 
314 
315 



Date of 
examination. 



Nov. 23,1910 
....do 



....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Nov. 24,1910 
....do 



Depth 

of 
water. 



....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Dec. 8,1910 
....do.; 



do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

....do 

do 

do 

Dec. 9, 1910 

do.. 

do 

Jan. 2,1911 
Jan. 5,1911 

....do 

Nov. 23, 1910 

do 

....do 

do 

Nov. 24,1910 
Dec. 8,1910 
Nov. 24,1910 
Dec. 8, 1910 

do 

..,.do 

..:.do 

....do 

Dec. 7, 1910 
Dec. 8, 1910 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 



Feet. 
9.00 
8.00 
7.00 
7.00 
6.00 
10.00 
7.50 
5.25 
4.50 
7.00 
6.00 
6.50 
6.00 
5.50 
4.00 
4.00 
5.00 
6.00 
7.50 
4.00 
3.60 
3.50 
3.60 
4.00 
4.80 
4.40 
3.70 
4.00 
3.30 
3.50 
3.70 
4.50 
4.20 
2.60 
2.80 
3.30 
3.90 
3.80 
4.00 
3.20 
2.30 
2.80 



Character of growth. 



18.00 
18.00 
17.00 
10.00 
10. 00 
10.00 
7.00 
9.50 
5.80 
7.50 
3.80 
4.30 
3.80 
3.40 
3.40 
5.50 
4.60 
4.20 
4.90 
3.50 
4.80 
5.20 



Dense. . . 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 
....do.... 
....do... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 

da 

....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
o 



do 

do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Scattering 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Very scattering . 

do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Depleted 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 



Oysters caught per 
square yard. 



Spat. Culls. Counts. 



0.0 

4.4 

11.1 

8.9 

8.1 

7.2 

5.2 

14.0 

41.8 

11.8 

4.2 

16.6 

11.9 

2.1 

11.9 

11.1 

15.2 

3.9 

8.0 

2.9 

.7 

6.2 

2.8 

8.9 

2.4 

.0 

3.0 

1.5 

1.9 

. 7 

1.4 

2.5 

.7 

5.9 

8.3 

.0 

.7 

5.C 

.5 

7.1 

6.4 

21.7 



.0 
9.2 
5.8 
4.5 

.0 
1.7 

.0 
2.1 

.7 
1.6 
6.5 
2.0 
1.5 
10.9 
26.4 
4.7 
2.2 
2.0 

.0 
4.5 

.0 

.0 



1.0 
7.0 
10.0 
20.3 
22.5 
38.3 
33.2 
22.9 
61.3 
24.1 
32.3 
21.7 
40.0 
26.3 
34.4 
41.8 
36.2 
49.5 
50.8 
28.6 
23.1 
20.3 
34.8 
18.1 
39.5 
18.8 
18.2 
18.5 
19.4 
26.9 
44.2 
42.5 
27.5 
31.1 
28.8 
6.7 
12.5 
18.0 
24.5 
17.5 
15.1 
56.2 



14.7 

16.6 

41.6 

15.6 

3.3 

0.6 

1.5 

3.1 

8.5 

.0 

4.0 

1.5 

3.0 

6.4 

10.0 

.0 

.0 

2.5 

.0 

1.8 

.0 

.0 



6.0 
20.0 
20.7 
32.2 
30.0 
46.7 
36.4 
10.5 
15.3 
39.6 
38.4 
28.3 
52.3 
36.3 
73.3 
38.6 
19.0 
58.9 
56. 7 
38.8 
60.0 
25.9 
23.8 
58.9 
36.7 
20.8 
38.5 
50.8 
13.5 
31.7 
14.3 
64.6 
40.0 
37.8 
54.6 

4.2 
20.5 
21.0 
36.5 
12.9 
28.4 
29.6 



Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 



Seed. 



22.7 

3.0 

34.0 

31.2 

12.2 

4.5 

3.0 

8.9 

7.1 

2.4 

6.5 

2.5 

2.5 

2.7 

3.6 

3.2 

.0 

1.0 

.0 

.5 

.0 

.0 



Bush. 



148 
203 
214 
319 
269 
258 
722 
251 
256 
268 
364 
199 
324 
370 
360 
374 
412 
220 
167 
186 
263 
189 
294 
132 
148 
140 
149 
193 
320 
315 
197 
259 
260 
47 
92 
161 
175 
172 
151 
545 



103 

180 

332 

141 

23 

16 

10 

36 

64 

11 

70 

25 

32 

121 

255 

33 

15 

32 



44 





Market. 



Bush. 
96 
320 
333 
516 
480 
746 
583 
168 
245 
634 
615 
453 
837 
580 

1,170 
618 
304 
942 
908 
620 
960 
414 
381 
•954 
588 
333 
616 
812 
216 
506 
229 

1,030 
640 
604 
874 
67 
328 
336 
584 
206 
454 
473 



363 

48 

544 

500 

195 

72 

48 

142 

114 

38 

104 

40 

40 

43 

58 

51 



16 



8 







« Exposed reef; living oysters large and small. 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



27 



REDFISH GULLY. 

Redfish gully is a strip of slightly deeper water lying between the 
shoals south of Pass aux Herons and the bar, bare at extreme low 
tide in whiter, extending for about 800 yards northwest from the tip of 
Little Dauphin Island. The shallowest part of this gully has a depth of 
about 3 feet at low water, the average is about 6 inches deeper and near 
the western end is a hole in which there is a maximum of 7 feet or more. 
The oyster bed designated by this name lies in and about the gully. 

The following table shows the extent, character of oyster growth, 
and estimated content of this bed: 

Oyster Growth in Redfish Gully. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


1 
Market. ' Total. 

1 




Acres. 

209 

11 


Bushels. 

231 

26 


Bushels. 

313 

80 


Bushels. 

48, 279 

286 


Bushels. 

65,417 

880 


Bushels. 
113,696 




1,166 






Total 


220 






48, 565 


66, 297 


114,862 









Practically all of this bed consists of dense growth, there being but one 
patch of about 11 acres of scattering oysters near the northeast edge, 
where there is a considerable proportion of large oysters of good shape. 

On the dense growth market oysters are least abundant in and 
about the deeper water in the southwestern part of the bed. The 
proportion of oysters over 4 inches in length is greatest in the eastern 
part of the bed, adjoining Mobile Bay, and it was there that most of 
the boats were observed working on the bed, although there were 
three or four schooners operating in the deep hole. 

Details of Examination of Redfish Gully. 



Angle 
No. 



Date of 
examination. 



Depth 
of 

water. 



Character of growth 



Oysters caught per 
square yard. 



Spat. Culls. Counts 



Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 



Seed. Market, | Total. 



156 
157 
158 
159 
160 
161 
193 
211 
321 
322 
323 
324 
333 
339 
340 
341 
343 
162 
163 



Nov. 23. 1910 

do.. 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Nov. 24, 1910 
do 

Dec. 8, 1910 

do 

do 

do.. 

Dec. 9 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Nov. 23, 1910 
do 



,1910 



Feet. 
7.00 
5.00 
4.50 
6.00 
6.00 
8.00 
7.00 
3.40 
3.90 
4.00 
4.40 
4.40 
2.00 
6.20 
2.90 
2.90 
2.90 
8.00 
6.00 



Dense. . . 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 

....do... 

....do... 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 
Scatterin: 
....do... 



5.3 

13.8 
8.1 

12.8 

11.1 
7.3 

13.3 
.0 

11.5 
4.0 
4.4 
2.2 
5.8 

12.3 

13.1 
9.6 
2.1 
2.0 
.0 



20.0 
31.4 
10.7 
26.6 
18.3 

7.3 
14.5 
21.0 
11.5 
19.5 
30.0 
28.8 
42.0 
26.2 
51.3 
22.9 
41.7 

5.3 
.0 



30.7 
38.1 
27.0 
24.4 
13.3 
14.7 
10.7 
21.9 
11.0 
10.5 
20.0 
10.0 
23.6 
26.9 
28.8 
5,4 
26.3 
3.3 
6.7 



Bush. 
Ill 
317 
132 
276 
206 
102 
195 
147 
161 
165 
241 
217 
335 
270 
451 
228 
307 
51 




Bush. 
492 
610 
432 
391 
213 
235 
171 
350 
176 
168 
320 
160 
378 
430 
461 
864 
470 
53 
107 



Bush. 
669 
927 
564 
667 
419 
337 
366 
497 
337 
333 
561 
377 
713 
700 
912 
1,092 
777 
104 
107 



28 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



BLACK LUMPS. 

This bed lies west of Redfish Gully and south of the western part 
of Pass aux Herons and is continuous with both. The name as used 
by the oystermen appears to be of very indefinite application and is 
probably more restricted than as employed in this report. Some of 
the oysters in the part immediately adjoining Pass aux Herons are 
excellent, but in most places they are inferior. Drills were found in 
abundance at places on this bed and a great many small spat had 
been killed by them. 

The area, conditions of oyster growth, and total contents of seed 
and marketable oysters are shown in the following table: 

Oyster Growth on Black Lumps. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 
13 
49 

77 


Bushels. 

140 

136 

14 


Bushels. 

139 

49 

3 


Bushels. 
1,820 
6,664 
1,078 


Bushels. 
1,807 

2,401 
231 


Bushels. 
3,627 




9,065 
1,309 








Total 


139 






9,562 


4,439 


14, 001 











The scattering growth occurs as a small area adjoining the south- 
west corner of Redfish Gully bed, and south of it is a small patch of 
very scattering growth. A larger area of the latter is found at the 
northeast corner of the bed, in the angle between Pass aux Herons 
and Redfish Gully beds. The depleted bottom, which comprises 
the major part of the bed, lies in the western and southern part. 

The detailed data of the examination are as follows: 

Details of Examination or Black Lumps. 



Angle 
No. 


Date of 

examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity of 
oysters per acre. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


325 


Dec. 8, 1910 
Dec. 16, 1910 
Dec. 9, 1910 

do 

do 

Jan. 2, 1911 
Jan. 5, 1911 
Dec. 8, 1910 

do....... 

do 

do 

Dec. 9, 1910 

do 

Dec. 8, 1910 
Dec. 7, 1910 


Feet. 
4.40 
3.40 
3.90 
3.70 
2.20 
12.00 
14.00 
4.90 
3.50 
3.00 
3.00 
5.70 
■ 5.70 
2.80 
4.50 




4.4 

3.2 

27.5 

8.2 

20.0 

1.4 

1.5 

2.5 

.0 

.0 

7.1 

.7 

.0 

3.3 

.0 


15.6 

5.5 

24.0 

1.8 

13.6 

7.2 

4.2 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

2.1 

.0 


8.7 

1.8 

8.0 

1.8 

1.9 

2.8 

2.1 

.0 

.0 

.0 

1.3 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 


Bush. 

140 

61 

351 

70 

235 

60 

40 

18 





50 

5 



3S 




Bush. 
139 
29 
128 
29 
30 
45 
34 



21 






Bush. 
279 


386 
334 
337 


Very scattering 

do 

do 


90 
479 
99 


338 


....do 


265 


519 
521 


do 

do 


105 

74 


317 
318 


Depleted 

do 


18 



319 


do 





320 


do 


71 


335 
336 
316 


do 

do 

do 


5 



38 


239 


do 






OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



29 



WEST SIDE OF LITTLE DAUPHIN ISLAND. 

This is an economically unimportant bed lying between the Turtle 
Hole, Mussel Gully, and Redfish Gully. A large part of it lies on 
bottom which is exposed during low winter tides. The extent and 
density of oyster growth are as follows : 

Oyster Growth on West Side of Little Dauphin Island. 



Character of oyster growth. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 

9 

156 


Bushels. 
58 
9 


Bushels. 

35 

4 


Bushels. 

522 

1,404 


Bushels. 
315 
624 


Bushels. 
837 




2, 028 




Total 


165 






1,926 


939 


2, 865 











There is an insignificant patch of very scattering growth adjoining 
a small shell island northeast of Turtle Hole, and the rest of the bed 
is depleted. The proportion of dead oysters is very large hi all parts 
of the bed, and drills, which appear to be the principal cause of the 
mortality, are abundant. The following examinations were made: 
Details of Examination of West Side of Little Dauphin Island. 











Oysters caught per 


Estimated quantity oys- 


Angle 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


square yard. 


ters per acre. 


No. 




















Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 






Feet. 










Bush. 


Bush. 


Bush. 


392 


Dec. 16,1910 


1.00 


Very scattering 


0.8 


7.5 


2.2 


58 


35 


93 


326 


Dec. 8, 1910 


3.80 


Depleted 


.0 


.0 


.0 











327 


do 


2.60 


do 


4.1 


.0 


. 7 


29 


11 


40 


328 


do 


2.60 


do 


3.7 


.0 


.0 


26 





26 


329 


do 


3.10 


do 


.0 


.0 


.0 











330 


do 

Dec. 16,1910 


4.20 
3.20 


....do 


.0 
.0 


.0 
.0 


.0 
.0 













385 


do 





387 


do 


2.30 


do 


.0 


.0 


.0 











388 


do 


2.20 


do 


.3 


.7 


1.3 


7 


21 


28 


389 


do 


1.40 


do 


.0 


2.1 


.3 


15 


5 


20 



MUSSEL GULLY. 

Mussel Gully lies northwest of Little Dauphin Island, running north- 
east from Turtle Hole and ending blindly in a sand flat. The beds 
which bear its name, as considered in this report, lie between the 
gully and the island. They are of no importance and are badly 
infested with drills. 

The following tables furnish all necessary information: 

Oyster Growth in Mussel Gully. 



Character of oyster growth. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 
11 
32 


Bushels. 
123 
51 


Bushels. 
27 



Bushels. 
1,353 
1,632 


Bushels. 

297 




Bushels. 
1,650 




1,632 






Total 


43 






2,985 


297 


3,282 











30 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 

Details of Examination of Mussel Gully. 



Angle 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 
of 

water. 


Character of growth 


Oysters caught per 
' square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre." 


No. 


•Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


393 
395 


•Dee. 16,1910 
do 


Feet. 
1.00 

1.00 


Very scattering 


6.1 
.0 


11.4 
7.3 


1.7 

.0 


Bush. 
123 
51 


Bush. 
27 




Bush. 
150 
51 









SAND REEF. 

This bed lies in Mobile Bay, stretching from Redfish Gull}' to Pass 
Drury for a distance of about 2\ miles along the outside of Little 
Dauphin Island. It has an average width of about one-third mile 
from above low-water mark to a depth of about 10 feet. It is the 
largest bed falling within the limits of this report, but at the time 
of examination it was of comparatively little economic value, and at 
no time were boats observed at work on it. Its extent, the distri- 
bution of oyster growth, and content of oysters are shown in the 

following table: 

Oyster Growth on Sand Reef. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 

inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 

220 

185 

21 

229 


Bushels. 
108 
61 
38 

7 


Bushels. 

318 

98 

40 

4 


Bushels. 

23,760 

11,285 

798 

1,603 


Bushels. 

69, 9C0 

18, 130 

840 

916 


Bushels. 
93,(20 




29,415 
1,638 






2, 519 






Total 


655 






37,446 


89,846 


127,292 









The dense growth covers a nearly continuous strip running the 
entire length of the bed. The oysters occur in rather large clusters 
and are of medium size, with comparatively few over 4 inches long, 
and inferior in shape and quality. The scattering growth lies prin- 
cipally inshore of the upper or northeast half of the dense area, extend- 
ing well up to or above low-water mark. The oysters lie in clusters 
and are apparently tossed about by the waves and often more or less 
submerged in the sand. The very scattering growth fringes the off- 
shore edge of the upper third of the dense area. The depleted bottom, 
which is the most extensive of the four classes of oyster growth repre- 
sented, lies mainly in a large body in the half of the bed close to the 
mouth of the bay. The oysters on this bed probably rarely, if ever, 
become fit for market, and are of value as seed only, and even for 
such purposes they should be used with caution, owing to the danger 
of transplanting the drills which abound. 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 

The following examinations were made: 

Details of Examination of Sand Reef. 



31 



Angle 
No. 





Date of 


Depth 

i of 

water. 


examinatioi 




Feet. 


Nov. 23,19: 


4.00 


....do 


4. 50 


....do 


5.00 


....do 


5.00 


....do 


4. 50 


....do 


. . 4. 50 


....do 


4. 00 


....do 


4.00 


....do 


5.00 


....do 


5. 00 


....do.... 


5. 75 


Nov. 24,191 


3.00 


....do.... 


3. 00 


...„do.... 


2. 90 


....do.... 


4. 25 


Nov. 23,19 


4 00 


....do.... 


5. 50 


....do.... 


7. 00 


....do.... 


7.00 


....do 


. . 5. 00 


....do.... 


5. 00 


Nov. 24,19 


7.00 


....do.... 


3.40 


....do.... 


4.00 


....do.... 


4. 00 


do.... 


3.00 


Nov. 23,19 


4.50 


do.... 


8 00 


Nov. 24, 191 


2.80 


....do.... 


2. 75 


do 


3. 50 


....do.... 


2. 50 


....do.... 


2. 50 


....do.... 


2. 80 


Nov. 23,19 


6. 00 


do.... 


8. 00 


do.... 


6. 00 


Nov. 24,19 


3.00 


Nov. 23,19 


6.00 


do.... 


6 00 




..do.... 


9. 00 




..do.... 


8.00 




..do.... 


6.00 




..do.... 


5. 50 




..do.... 


5. 00 




..do 


6. 00 




..do.... 


5. 25 




..do.... 


9. 50 




..do.... 


5.25 




..do.... 


4. 50 




..do.... 


. . 5. 00 




..do.... 


6. 00 




..do.... 


5; 50 




..do.... 


6. 50 




..do.... 


7. 50 




..do.... 


7. 00 


J\ 


ov. 24,19 


2.50 



Character of growth. 



Oysters caught per , 
square yard. 



Spat. Culls. Counts 



Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 



Seed. Market. Total. 



127 
128 
131 
132 
133 
135 
136 
137 
139 
142 
143 
196 
197 
198 
201 
148 
149 
150 
152 
153 
154 
194 
205 
207 
209 
195 
140 
144 
199 
200 
202 
206 
208 
210 
147 
151 
155 
204 
115 
116 
117 
118 
119 
120 
121 
122 
123 
124 
125 
126 
129 
130 
134 
138 
141 
146 
203 



Dense 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

Scattering 

do 

do.... 

.....do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

Very scattering 

."do 

do.... 

do.... 

Depleted . 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 



5.9 

.0 

2.4 

3.8 

2.2 

.0 

11.1 

1.5 

8.6 

4.3 

2.8 

4.5 

1.6 

(a) 

16.0 

2.6 

7.9 

10.0 

2.0 

8.6 

4.3 

4.8 

1.3 

1.5 

1.1 

3.5 

15.6 

1.7 

.6 

.0 

3.2 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.6 

.0 

.0 

3.2 

.0 

.0 

.0 

1.3 

1.3 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.5 

.0 

.5 

.4 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.6 

2.0 

3.2 



3.3 

3,7 

8.1 

5.7 

5.5 

12.6 

8.9 

5.2 

21.0 

11.4 

5.0 

8.4 

4.2 

13.6 

8.1 

9.6 

19.5 

14.7 

16.7 

18.1 

27.2 

9.6 

7.1 

9.2 

19.7 

4.2 

5.6 

23.9 

1.3 

4.2 

9.0 

.3 

2.5 

2.6 

1.1 

1.3 

.0 

6.5 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

1.0 

.0 

.0 

.4 

.0 

.0 

.0 

1.7 

.0 

3.3 

3.2 



11.1 

17.8 

12.4 

14.3 

13.3 

11.9 

30.0 

25.2 

33.8 

24.3 

14.4 

10.0 

14.9 

16.2 

13.3 

13.7 

25.8 

25.3 

36.0 

29.5 

33.4 

10.7 

10.3 

10.4 

38.2 

6.8 

8.9 

5.0 

1.3 

6.1 

7.1 

6.8 

9.0 

4.2 

1.7 

.0 

4.4 

3.9 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.5 

.0 

.0 

.7 

2.4 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

1.0 



Bush. 

64 

21 

74 

66 

54 

88 

140 

47 

207 

110 

55 

90 

41 

(a) 

169 

85 

192 

173 

131 

187 

220 

101 

59 

75 

146 

54 

148 

179 

13 

29 

92 

2 

17 

18 

12 

72 



68 









Bush. 

178 

285 

198 

229 

213 

190 

480 

404 

540 

389 

230 

160 

238 

259 

213 

219 

413 

405 

576 

472 

535 

171 

165 

167 

614 

109 

142 

80 

21 

98 

114 

109 

144 

07 

27 



72 

62 

















8 





11 

38 











16 



Bush. 
242 
306 
272 
295 
267 
278 
620 
451 
747 
499 
285 
250 
279 



383 

304 

605 

578 

707 

659 

755 

272 

224 

242 

760 

163 

290 

259 

34 

127 

206 

111 

161 

85 

39 

72 

72 

130 

e 

o 
o 

9 




18 

3 
17 
38 


12 
4 
37 
61 



a Many. 



DAUPHIN ISLAND BAY. 

Practically the entire bottom of this bay is sparsely covered with 
oyster growth, but in only a few patches in the southeastern half is 
the growth sufficiently productive to warrant tonging. 

The area and character of oyster growth and the estimated con- 
tent of oysters in the bay are shown in the table following. 
65397°— 13 3 



32 OYSTEE BOTTOMS OP MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 

Oyster Growth in Dauphin Island Bay. 



Character of oyster growth. 



Area. 



Oysters per acre. 



Under 3 
inches. 



Over 3 
inches. 



Estimated content of oysters. 



Seed. 



Market. Total. 



Scattering 

Very scattering 
Depleted ^ . . 

Total 



Acres. 

52 

154 

550 



Bushels. 
49 
25 
48 



Bushels. 

104 

45 

3 



Bushels. 
2,548 
3,850 
26,400 



Bushels. 
5,408 
6,930 
1,650 



Bushels. 
7,956 
10, 780 
28,050 



756 



32, 798 



13,988 



46, 786 



There are three areas of what this report designates as scattering 
oysters, one of about 6 acres close to the Dauphin Island shore, and 
two larger ones near Little Dauphin Island. It is stated that oysters 
are planted or bedded in the bay, and it is possible that some of the 
bottom included in the foregoing is not wholly natural bed. 

Included between these three patches is a considerable area of 
very scattering growth. The depleted bottom lies around the shores 
south and west of the preceding and in the entire northwestern part 
of the bay where there are practically no market oysters and but a 
limited quantity of small ones. 

The oysters in practically all parts of the bay were poor in shape 
and quality. Some drills were found and many dead small oysters. 

Details op Examination of Dauphin Island Bay. 



Angle 
No: 



Date of 
examination. 



Depth 
of 

water. 



Character of growth 



Oysters can eh t per 
square yard. 



Spat. 



Culls. 



Counts. 



Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Total. 



222 
225 
213 
229 
230 
231 
232 
212 
214 
215 
216 
217 
218 
220 
221 
226 
227 
233 
219 
223 
224 
228 
234 
235 
236 
237 
238 
344 
345 
346 
347 
348 
349 
350 



Dec. 5, 1910 

...do..... 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

Dec. 15,1910 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 



Feet. 
1.50 
1.80 
2.00 
6.00 
4.00 
4.00 
3.90 
2.50 
2.50 
2.00 
2.50 
3.00 
3.00 
2.50 
1.50 
2.00 
3.00 
4.00 
3.00 
.50 
.50 
4.00 
4.00 
4.50 
4.00 
3.00 
4.00 
.90 
1.20 
2.30 
2.30 
1.00 
1.30 
2.30 



Scattering 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Very scattering 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Depleted 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 



0.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

4.6 

1.2 

1.5 

.6 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

3.0 

.0 

.0 

.8 

.0 

1.9 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

7.3 

.0 

.8 

10.7 

5.8 

.0 

3.1 

3.9 

1.9 

2.5 

.0 

1.0 



3.6 
3.0 
3.0 
12.2 
2.3 
11.5 
6.5 
5.6 
2.8 
1.5 

.6 

.0 
5.2 
4.2 
1.8 
3.8 
3.2 
4.2 
6.5 
2.8 

.0 
3.5 
6.1 

.0 
1.9 
12.0 
3.5 

.0 
24.4 
1.0 
1.0 
4.7 
4.2 
1.3 



7.7 

8.6 

6.3 

6.1 

.8 

5.8 

10.8 

2.5 

1.9 

3.0 

3.1 

2.9 

2.6 

2.8 

4.5 

4.3 

1.9 

2.3 

1.0 

1.1 

.0 

.8 

.4 

.0 

.4 

1.0 

1.2 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 



Bush. 
25 
21 
21 
85 



56 
44 
20 
11 

4 


57 
29 
13 
32 
22 
43 
46 
20 


25 
94 



19 

160 

65 


193 
34 
20 
51 
29 
16 



Bush. 
123 
138 
101 
98 



93 
173 

40 
30 
48 
50 
Hi 
42 
45 
72 
69 
30 
37 
16 
18 

13 



Bush. 
148 
159 
122 
183 
48 
182 
229 
84 
50 
59 
54 
46 
99 
74 
85 
101 
52 
80 
62 
38 

38 
100 

25 
176 
84 

193 
34 
20 
51 
29 
16 



OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 38 

Details of Examination of Dauphin Island Bay — Continued. 



Angle 
No. 



Date of 


Depth 

of 
water. 


examination. 




Feet. 


Dec. 15,1910 


3.30 


....do 


1.00 


....do 


2.10 


....do 


1.00 


....do 


1.40 


....do 


4.00 


....do 


4.00 


....do 


5.00 


....do 


4.50 


....do 


4.80 


....do 


3.60 


....do 


1.00 


....do 


1.30 


....do 


4.30 


....do 


3.40 


....do 


4.20 


....do 


5.30 


....do 


3.10 


....do 


4.10 


....do 


5.10 


....do 


5.60 


....do 


3.50 


....do 


5.50 


....do 


5.50 


....do 


5.40 


....do 


3. 70 


....do 


3.10 


....do 


5.50 



Character of growth- 



Oysters caught per 
square yard. 



Spat. 



Culls. 



Counts. 



Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Total. 



351 
352 
353 
354 
355 
356 
357 
358 
359 
360 
361 
362 
363 
364 
365 
367 
368 
369 
370 
371 
372 
373 
375 
376 
377 
378 
379 
380 



Depleted 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 



2.0 

1.4 

4.5 

1.9 

1.8 

4.0 

.5 

.0 

5.0 

7.5 

.0 

.0 

.6 

.0 

1.4 

.0 

.0 

6.2 

7.5 

.0 

.0 

.0 

4.0 

2.0 

6.0 

8.2 

7.1 

.0 



10.8 
16.9 
5.8 
7.2 
5.5 
2.5 
8.5 

.0 
3.9 
3.8 

.3 
3 6 
8.3 
3.0 
2.3 
1.5 

.0 
11.2 
5.0 

.0 
4.0 
2.3 

.0 

.7 
6.0 

.9 
1.3 

.0 



0.5 
.0 
.3 
.3 
.3 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.6 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.5 
.0 
.0 



Bush. 
90 
128 
72 
64 
51 
46 
70 


62 
79 

2 

25 
62 
21 
27 
11 


122 
87 


28 
16 
28- 
19 
84 
64 
59 





Bush. 
8 

5 
5 
5 



10 
















8 





Bush. 



128 
77 
69 
56 
46 
70 


72 
79 

2 
25 
62 
21 
27 
11 


122 
87 


28 
16 
28 
19 
84 
72 
59 





SPRINKELS BAY. 

There are practically no market oysters in this bay, but small ones 
ia clusters are scattered over the bottom. There were many dead 
oysters at the time of examination. The following tables exhibit all 
that it is necessary to say concerning this region: 

Oyster Growth in Sprinkels Bay. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 

inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 
133 


Bushels. 
60 


Bushels. 
1 


Bushels. 
7,980 


Bushels. 
133 


Bushels. 
8,113 







Details of Examination of Sprinkels Bay. 











Oysters caught per 


Estimated quantity oys- 


Angle 
No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


square yard. 


ters per acre. 






















Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 






Feet. 










Bush. 


Bush. 


Bush. 


366 


Dec. 15,1910 


1.10 


Depleted 


0.0 


17.0 


0.3 


119 


5 


124 


374 


do 


3.00 


do 


2.9 


4.2 


.0 


50 





50 


396 


Dec. 16, 1910 


1.00 


do 


.3 


13.6 


.3 


97 


5 


102 


397 


do 


3.00 


do 


1.3 


.0 


.0 


9 





9 


398 


do 


1.00 


do 


.0 


3.9 


.0 


27 





27 


399 


do 


2.00 


do 


1.6 


13.6 


.0 


106 





106 


400 


do 


1.10 


do 


.0 


.0 


.0 











401 


do 


3.00 


do 


4.5 


5.4 


.0 


69 





69 



34 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
COLLIER BAY. 



The oysters here, which are practically ail small, are scattered in 
clusters along most of the shore of the bay. The bottom is mainly 
soft mud, with considerable grass in places. The percentage of dead 
spat and small oysters is large. The following tables give the data 
obtained in this bay: 



Oyster Growth in Collier Bay. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 
13 


Bushels. 
57 


Bushels. 
2 


Bushels. 
741 


Bushels. 
26 


Bushels. 
767 







Details op Examination of Collier Bay. 



Angle 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


No. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


407 


Dec. 16,1910 

do 

do 


Feet. 
1 00 
3.00 
1.20 




0.0 
.0 
.0 


5.3 

.8 

18.3 


0.3 
.0 
.0 


Bush. 

37 

6 

128 


Bush. 
5 




Bush. 
42 


408 
409 


.....do.... 

do 


6 
128 



OFF EAST BASE SIGNAL. 



This is a very small patch on a point west of Collier Bay, which 
among considerable debris contains a few scattering clusters of four 
or five small sharp-edged oysters each. 

Oyster Growth off East Base Signal. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




A cres. 
3 


Bushels. 
3 


Bushels. 



Bushels. 
9 


BusheU. 



Bushels. 
9 







Details of Examination of Point off East Base Signal. 



Angle 
No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


405 


Dec. 16,1910 
do 


Feet. 
1.00 
1.00 




0.8 
.0 


0.0 
.0 


0.0 
.0 


Bush. 
6 



Bush. 




Bush. 
6 


406 


do 






OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



35 



HALF-MOON PATCHES. 

This name, which is not used by the oystermen, serves to desig- 
nate a number of small areas of oyster growth lying west of the lower 
end of Cedar Point. Most of these patches are not more than an 
acre or two in extent and bear scattering growth or are depleted. 
They generally lie on a soft muddy bottom, but there is a hard reef 
on which the water shoals to a minimum of 1 J feet about 500 or 600. 
yards west of the extreme end of Cedar Point. 

The following tables exhibit the area and condition of these patches,. 

Oyster Growth on Half-Moon Patches. 



Character of oyster growth. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 

2 
8 
4 


Bushels. 

8 

13 

60 


Bushels. 

164 

55 




Bushels. 

16 

104 

240 


Bushels. 

308 

440 




Bushels. 
324 




544 




240 






Total 


14 






360 


748 


1,108- 











Details of Examination of Half-Moon Patches. 



Angle 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


No. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


263 


Dec. 7, 1910 
Dec. 29,1910 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 


Feet. 
4.00 
6.00 
6.00 
5.00 
4.50 
4.00 
3.50 










Bush. 
8 
31 

8 
12 
126 
41 


Bush. 
154 
69 
46 
50 





Bush. 
162' 


466 
465 
464 
462 


Very scattering 

do 

do 


0.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
3.5 
1.8 


4.3 
.0 

1.2 

1.7 

14.5 

4.1 


4.3 

2.9 

3.1 

.0 

.0 

.0 


100 
4ft 
58 
12- 


460 




12ft 


459 


do 


41 



HERON BAY, EAST SIDE. 

On the east side of Heron Bay there is an area of oyster growth 
stretching along shore for nearly a mile south of the forks of the bay. 
It consists principally of depleted bottom in which there are shells 
more or less buried in the mud, with an occasional cluster of oysters. 
The area and character of the growth on the several parts of this bed 
are as follows : 

Oyster Growth in Heron Bay, East Side. 



Character of oyster growth. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


Dense. 


Acres. 

34 

11 

5 

52 


Bushels. 

101 

13 

110 




Bushels. 

190 

96 

72 




Bushels. 

3,434 

143 

550 




Bushels. 

6,460 

1,056 

360 




Bushels. 
9, 894 




1, 19» 


Very scattering 


910- 


Depleted 


0. 






Total 


102 






4,127 


7,876 


12, 003 











36 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



There is an area of dense growth at the northern end of the bed, 
apparently extending on to the planted bottom inside of the northeast 
arm of the bay. These oysters are in small clusters and are of good 
size and fair shape and quality. There is another dense patch near 
the southern end of the bed, where the oysters are smaller and 
inferior. 

The scattering growth lies in a narrow strip along the western edge 
of the southern half of the bed. The bottom consists in large part of 
firm mud and shells lying in a substratum of soft mud. The very 
scattering growth lies in a small patch near the southern inshore 
part of the bed and the depleted area stretches nearly the entire length 
of the bed and for a considerable distance comprises its entire width. 
The following examinations were made: 

Details op Examination of Heron Bay, East Side. 



Angle 
No 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 




Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


507 
508 
516 
418 


Jan. 1,1911 

do 

do 

Dec. 21,1910 
Jan. 1, 1911 
Dec. 21,1910 
do 


Feet. 
3.0 
4.9 
4.0 
4.0 
4.3 
3.6 
3.6 


Dense 

do 

do 


2.1 
.0 
.0 
.5 
.0 
.0 
.0 


16.3 
11.2 
13.5 

.0 
3.0 
15.8 

.0 


14.2 
10.0 
11.5 
5.0 
7.0 
4.5 
.0 


Bush. 
129 
78 
95 
4 
21 
110 



Bush. 
227 
160 
184 
80 
112 
72 



Bush. 

356 

238 

279 

84 


515 


do 


133 


417 
416 


Very scattering 

Depleted 


182 




HEKON BAY, WEST SIDE. 

The oyster growth on the western, or, more accurately, on the north- 
western, side of Heron Bay stretches along shore for a distance of 
upward of one-half mile from the mouth of northwest arm. 

The following table exhibits the area, density of oyster growth, and 
estimated total content of oysters: 

Oyster Growth in Heron Bay, West Side. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 
31 
21 


Bushels. 

54 

4 


Bushels. 

245 

10 


Bushels. 

1,674 

84 


Bushels. 

7,595 

210 


Bushels. 
9 269 


Depleted 


294 






Total 


52 






1,758 


7,805 


9 563 











The area of dense growth lies at the northeast end of the bed on a 
very hard sand and shell bottom, gradually becoming softer toward 
the depleted bottom. The oysters are elongated, sharp edged, and in 
rather heavy clusters, bearing a few mussels. 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA 



37 



The depleted bottom consists partly of soft mud, partly sand, and 
in places 3 inches of the former overlying a substratum of the latter. 
The following examinations were made on this bed. 

Details of Examination of Heron Bay, West Side. 



Angle 
No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


504 


Jan. 1, 1911 

do 

do 

do 


Feet. 
3.2 
3.4 
3.1 
4.5 




0.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 


6.2 

15.9 

.8 

.6 


15.0 

20.9 

10.0 

.6 


Bush. 

44 

111 

6 

4 


Bush. 

240 

334 

160 

10 


Bush. 
284 


509 


do 


445 


510 


...do... 


166 


514 




14 









Lying in the middle of Heron Bay is a long, narrow bed of planted 
oysters, continuous at its northern end with what appears to be a 
natural scattering growth. It is probable that this whole area is on 
an old bed. 

HERON BAY, NORTHWEST ARM. 

It was understood that the northeastern arm of Heron Bay is com- 
prised within the limits of private ownership, is used for purposes of 
oyster culture, and contains no public beds. For that reason it was 
not examined. Northwest Arm is public bottom, but contains very 
few oysters of value. The following table shows the area, density of 
oyster growth, and total contents: 

Oyster Growth in Heron Bay, Northwest Arm. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 

inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 
16 

42 


Bushels. 
40 
10 


Bushels. 
119 
17 


Bushels. 
640 
420 


Bushels. 

1,904 

714 


Bushels. 
2,544 




1,134 






Total 


58 






1,060 


2,618 


3,678 









The area of scattering growth lies as a strip along shore at the 
eastern side of the mouth of the arm. The market oysters on this 
area are rather large and some of them of good shape and quality. 
The depleted bottom stretches from shore to shore in the upper part 
and continues as a strip along the western shore in the lower half of 
the arm. The oysters, of which a fair proportion are of good size, 
lie in clusters on a bottom of soft or very soft mud in which there are 
many buried shells. The indications are that this body of water 
would produce good oysters if a firm surface could be provided by the 
use of sand and shells. 



S8 OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 

The following observations were made : 

Details op Examination op Northwest Arm, Heron Bay. 



Angle 
No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


502 
505 


Jan. 1, 1911 

do 

do 

do 

do 


Feet. 
1.8 
4.2 
1.9 
1.5 
1.8 


Scattering 

do 


0.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 


10.0 

1.5 

.9 

1.2 

2.3 


7.8 
7.0 
.0 
1.5 
1.6 


Bush. 
70 
10 
6 
8 
16 


Bush. 
125 
112 

24 
26 


Bush. 
195 
122 


498 




6 


499 
501 


do 

...do 


32 
42 









MIDDLE GROUND, FOWL RIVER BAY. 

This consists of a small reef, of dense growth, with an area of very 
scattered oysters extending from it toward the head of the bay. 
The area shown in the following table includes ir> addition that por- 
tion of what appears to be a private bed more than 600 yards from 
the shore. 

The area, density of oyster growth, and estimated contents are 
shown in the following tables : 

Oyster Growth in Middle Ground, Fowl River Bay. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


Dense 


Acres. 
12 
40 


Bushels. 

93 

107 


Bushels. 
204 
58 


Bushels. 

116 

4,280 


Bushels. 
2,448 
2,320 


Bushels. 
2,564 




.6,600 






Total 


52 






4,396 


4,768 


9,164 









Details op Examination op Middle Ground, Fowl River Bay. 



Angle 
No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


637 


Jan. 11,1911 

do 

do 

do 


Feet. 
4.0 
4.3 
3-5 
4.0 




0.0 
.0 
.0 

1.5 


9.5 
17.0 
19.0 
10.0 


14.5 
11.0 
2.7 
4.5 


Bush. 

66.5 
119.0 
133.0 

80.5 


Bush. 

232.0 

176.0 

43.2 

72.0 


Bush. 
298.5 


640 


do. 


295.0 


638 
639 


Very scattering 

do. 


176.2 
152.5 



GRASSY ISLAND. 



This is a small patch running from the north side of Grassy Island 
to a depth of about 1 foot. It is apparently an old bar, but is at 
present of very little value, as is shown in the following table: 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, AT. A, £9 

Oyster Growth on Grassy Island. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters., 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 
4 


Bushels. 
10 


Bushels. 
13 


Bushels. 
40 


Bushels. 
52 


Bushels. 
92 







Details of Examination of Grassy Island. 



Angle 
No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


683 


Jan. 13,1911 


Feet. 
0.8 




0.0 


1.4 


0.8 


Bush. 
9.8 


Bush. 
12.8 


Bush. 
22.6 









GOOSE BAYOU. 

This bed, consisting of a small area of dense growth, almost sur- 
rounded by very scattering oysters, is apparently included within a 
private claim, although there is no doubt that it is an old natural 
bed. There is a considerable proportion of large oysters of good 
shape. The area, character of oyster growth, and estimated content 
of the bed are as follows: 

Oyster Growth in Goose Bayou. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


Dense 


Acres. 
5 

7 


Bushels. 

76 

406 


Bushels. 
286 
51 


Bushels. 
380 

2,842 


Bushels. 

1,430 

357 


Bushels. 
1,810 




3,199 






Total 


12 






3,222 


1,787 


5,009 









Details of Examination of Goose Bayou. 



Angle 
No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


669 


Jan. 12,1911 

do 

do 


Feet. 
1.5 
1.2 
1.5 




0.0 

2.2 

.0 


10.9 
7.6 
1.8 


17.9 
2.8 
3.6 


Bush. 
76.3 
68.6 
12.6 


Bush. 
286.4 
44.8 
57.6 


Bush. 
362.7 


671 
672 


Very scattering 

do 


113.4 
70.2 



40 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 
SOUTHWEST OF VAN SIGNAL. 



This is a small patch of dense growth about 300 yards from shore. 

The oysters have a good shape, most of them are single, and at the 

time of examination were fat. Drills or borers were noted on the 

bed. The following tables show the results of the examination: 

• 
Oyster Growth Southwest of Van Signal. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


Dense 


Acres. 
1 


Bushels. 
70 


Bushels. 
560 


Bushels. 
70 


Bushels. 
560 


Bushels. 
630 







Details op Examination Southwest op Van Signal. 



Angle 

No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


664 


Jan. 12,1911 


Feet. 
3.0 




3.3 


6.7 


35.0 


Bush. 
70 


Bush. 
560 


Bush. 
630 









EAST SIDE OF MARSH ISLAND. 



About 300 yards from the island is a small patch of depleted bot- 
tom. Its condition is shown in the following tables: 

Oyster Growth on East Side op Marsh Island. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 
2 


Bushels. 
52 


Bushels. 
6 


Bushels. 
104 


Bushels. 
12 


Bushels. 
116 







Details op Examination of East Side op Marsh Island. 



Angle 
No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


651 


Jan. 11,1911 


Feet. 
2.4 


Depleted 


0.0 


7.4 


0.4 


Bush. 
51.8 


Bush. 
6.4 


Bush. 
58.2 









OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



41 



PORTERSVILLE BAY, STATE-PLANTED BED. 

This bed is said to have been planted in June, 1910, and it was 
examined by the survey party on January 11, 1911. The bottom 
was of a consistency rated in this report from stiff to soft. The 
oysters were found to be growing in dense clusters and were fit for 
steaming only. They were evidently planted too thickly and irreg- 
ularly to secure the best results, and apparently the clusters were not 
broken up. If they had been separated so as to give the individual 
oysters room for growth, they would have produced much better 
and more valuable stock. It is said that the seed oysters, when 
planted, were about 1^ inches long. When examined six months 
later, 40 per cent were between 1 and 3 inches long, 40 per cent 
between 3 and 4 inches, and 20 per cent over 4 inches. 

The experiment indicates that if oysters be planted in this region 
in accordance with the best practice the results should be excellent. 

The following tables exhibit the general condition of this bed : 

Oyster Growth in Portersville Bay (State-Planted Bed). 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 

inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 

8 


Bushels. 
250 


Bushels. 

472 


Bushels. 
2,000 


Bushels. 
3,776 


Bushels. 
5,776 







Details of Examination op Portersville Bay, State-Planted Bed. 



Angle 
No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of - 

water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 




Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


625 


Jan. 11,1911 
do 


Feet. 
4.3 
4.0 




1.0 
1.5 


45.5 
25.0 


25.0 
34.0 


Bush. 
315.5 
185.5 


Bush. 
400.0 
544.0 


Bush. 
715.5 


626 


do 


729.5 









PORTERSVILLE BAY, NORTH END. 

This is a small bed of very scattering growth, about 700 yards 
from the north shore of the bay. It is probable that there may be 
other insignificant patches in the vicinity. The character of the 
bed is sufficiently indicated by the following tables: 

Oyster Growth in Portersville Bay, North End. 





Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated content of oysters. 


Character of oyster growth. 


Under 3 
inches. 


Over 3 
inches. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 




Acres. 
2 


Bushels. 
122 


Bushels. 
57 


Bushels. 
244 


Bushels. 
114 


Bushels. 
358 







42 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 

Details of Examination of Portersville Bay, North End. 



Angle 

No. 


Date of 
examination. 


Depth 

of 
water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


592 
593 


Jan. 10,1911 
do 


Feet. 
6.0 
6.0 


Very scattering 


2.8 
5. 7 


7.0 
19.3 


2.8 
4.3 


Bush. 
68.6 
175.0 


Bush: 
44.8 
68.8 


Bush. 
113.4 
243.8 









WEST SIDE OF COFFEE ISLAND. 

Along a considerable part of the southern half, of the west shore of 
Coffee Island is a fringe of depleted bottom. It is stated that this 
was at one time moderately productive, but there is but an occasional 
scattered cluster of oysters to be found at present, and their dis- 
tribution was so irregular that it was not possible to arrive at an 
estimate of their quantity. This narrow fringe of bottom is useful for 
planting but valueless for oyster producing in its natural state. 

THE BEDS IN SUMMARY. 

Within the limits of this survey the natural beds are confined 
to two general regions — (a) Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound adjacent 
to their junction and (6) in Portersville Bay and vicinity. It is 
stated that formerly there were oysters in Grand Bay, where none or 
practically none exist at present, and recently a bed was reported 
in the open sound, somewhere south of Grand Bay near the State 
line. If the latter exist, it can not be of much importance, as a 
search as careful as the circumstances seemed to warrant failed to 
reveal it. There are a few scattered clusters of oysters close to shore 
on the west side of Coffee Island, but they are not worthy of consider- 
ation as natural growth. 

The contiguous parts of Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound contain 
by far the most extensive and productive oyster beds in the State. 
As is shown on the chart, there extends from Buoy Reef to Pass 
Drury a practically continuous area of dense and scattering growth 
flanked, especially toward the sound, by very scattering oysters 
and depleted bottom. These beds, including Kings Bayou Reef 
and Heron Bay, cover a total area of 3,900 acres, of which 1,451 
acres bear dense, 501 acres scattering, and 436 acres very scattering 
growth, while 1,512 acres are classed as depleted. 

The depth of water over these beds is slight and, excepting the 
passes and gullies, remarkably uniform, ranging generally between 
1 and 4 feet. On Buoy and Kings Bayou Reefs the depth is a few 
feet greater, as is shown on the chart. 

The remaining beds, which are confined to Portersville Bay and 
vicinity, contain but about 108 acres, part of which appears to lie 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



43 



within private claims. In addition to this there are what appear to 
have been natural beds, lying in less than 2 feet of water, between 
Cat Island, Murder Point, and the mouth of Goose Bayou, most of 
which are now planted or claimed as planted. 

The entire area of 4,008 acres of natural beds surveyed embraces 
37 per cent of dense growth, 13 per cent of scattering, 12 per cent 
of very scattering, and 38 per cent of depleted bottom. This dis- 
tribution is summarized in the following table: 

Summarized Statement of Areas op Market Oysters on Public Beds. 



Name of bed. 



Character of oyster growth. 



Dense. 



Scatter- 
ing. 



Very scat- 
tering, 



De- 
pleted. 



Total. 



Kings Bayou Reef 

Buoy Reef 

Cedar Point Reef 

Pass des Huitres 

Pass des Huitres Flats 

Dutch Gully 

Dutch Island 

Big Gully 

Peter Billys Gully 

Grants Pass 

Pass aux Herons 

Redfish Gully 

Black Lumps 

West side Little Dauphin Island. . 

Mussel Gully 

Sand Reef 

Dauphin Island Bay. . , 

Sprinkels Bay 

Collier Bay 

East Base 

Half-moon Patches 

Heron Bay, east side 

Heron Bay, west side 

Northwest arm Heron Bay 

Middle Ground 

Grassy Island 

Goose Bayou 

Southwest Van signal 

East of Marsh Island 

Planted oysters, Portersville Bay. 

North end Portersville Bay 

West side Coffee Island 



Acres. 

39 

202 

100 

53 

122 

39 

42 

44 

39 

64 

211 

209 



Acres. 



Acres. 
40 
19 

24 



Acres. 
3 
12 
56 



185 
52 



11 
21 
154 



77 

156 

32 

229 

550 

133 

13 

3 

4 

52 

21 

42 



27 



Acres. 

82 

267 

201 

83 

202 

58 

87 

65 

81 

127 

292 

220 

139 

165 

43 

655 

756 

133 

13 

3 

14 

102 

54 

58 

52 

4 

12 

1 

2 

8 

2 

27 



Total. 



1,477 



501 



485 



1,545 



It should be understood that the foregoing classification in respect 
to relative density of oyster growth is based solely on the quantity 
of oysters 3 inches or more in length, irrespective of the quantity of 
small oysters present. The classification furthermore represents 
the condition at the time of examination and the several classes may, 
and undoubtedly will, undergo redistribution from time to time. 
The areas of dense growth may become less productive from over- 
fishing or other causes, while a heavy set of spat may bring the 
lower classes into increased productivity and raise them a step 
higher in the scale. In some cases the number of young oysters 
on the beds at the time of examination was sufficient to produce 
this effect in the following year. On the whole, however, the general 
conditions shown in this report, barring accidents, should be main- 



44 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



tained for a period of years. The estimated total content of oysters 
on the several parts of the different beds is shown in the following 
table : 

Summarized Content Of Market Oysters on Public Beds. 



Name of bed. 



Character of oyster growth. 



Dense. 



Scatter- 
ing. 



Very scat- 
tering. 



De- 
pleted. 



Total. 



Kings Bayou Reef. 

Buoy Reef. 

Cedar Point Reef 

Pass des Huitres 

Pass des Huitres Flats 

Dutch Gully 

Dutch Island 

Big Gully 

Peter Billys Gully 

Grants Pass 

Pass aux Herons 

Redfish Gully 

Black Lumps '.. 

West side Little Dauphin Island . 

Mussel Gully 

Sand Reef 

Dauphin Island Bay 

Sprinkels Bay 

Collier Bay 

East Base 

Half-moon Patches 

Heron Bay, east side 

Heron Bay, west side 

Northwest arm Heron Bay 

Middle Ground 

Grassy Island 

Goose Bayou 

Southwest Van signal 

East of Marsh Island 

Planted oysters, Portersville Bay. 

North end Portersville Bay 

West side Coflee Island 



Total. 



Bushels. 

9,126 
65,448 
34,000 
16,059 
37,088 

9,867 
11,718 
13,640 

9,555 
22,976 
109,720 
65,417 



3,672 
2,730- 
2,760 
5,699 
1,919 
2,079 
800 



2,352 

1,316 

880 

1,807 



69,960 



18, 130 
5,408 



308 
6,460 
7,595 



1,056 

284 

1,904 



2,448 



1,430 
560 



3,776 



497, 151 



52,796 



Bushels. 

3,640 

1,178 

984 



Bushels. 
18 



1,794 



532 



2,279 



2,401 
315 
297 
840 

6,930 



440 
360 



2,320 
"357 



24,781 



312 

168 
924 
96 



231 

624 



916 

1,650 

60 

26 







210 

714 



52 







Bushels. 

12,784 

70,346- 

37,714 

18,819 

44,581 

11,786 

14,109 

14,440 

10,255 

26,252 

113,411 

66,297 

4,439- 

939 

297 

89,846 

13,988 

6f> 

2ft 

O 

748 

7,876 

8,089 

2,618 

4,768 

52 

1,787 

560 

12 

3,77ft 

114 





6,061 



580,789 



Of the total it is estimated that the beds lying in the contiguous 
parts of Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound bear over 98 per cent, or 
569,720 bushels, of which 488,937 bushels occur as dense growth, 52,796 
bushels as scattering, 21,990 bushels as very scattering, and but 5,997 
bushels on the so-called depleted bottom. It will be seen from this 
that the depleted bottom and even the areas of very scattering 
growth bore a wholly insignificant crop of oysters at the time of 
examination. The present negligible character of these two classes, 
and especially the lowest, regarded as naturally productive beds, is 
still more plainly seen by a comparison of their content per acre with 
that of the areas of dense and scattering growth. 

Considering as a whole all of the beds examined in the State, aggre- 
gating 4,008 acres, the areas classed as dense bore an average of 336 
bushels of oysters of market size per acre, the scattering 105 bushels, 
very scattering 51 bushels, and the depleted but 4 bushels. It should 
be stated that for the more prolific growths the averages probably 
understate the truth, while for the very scattering and depleted 
growths they are approximately accurate. On very rank growth the 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



45 



tongs will not always take up all oysters within their grasp, and as 
the foregoing estimates are based primarily on the area of bottom 
covered by a "grab" and the number of oysters taken therein, the 
actual density of growth is somewhat greater than shown. Where 
the oysters do not lie so thickly this is not true. 

On some of the beds, notably Buoy Reef, Grants Pass, Pass aux 
Herons, and Redfish Gully, oystering had been carried on for a 
month or two prior to the examination, and the survey therefore 
disclosed fewer oysters than had been on the beds at the beginning 
of the season. Moreover, the bushel as measured by the survey 
party contains probably at least 30 per cent more oysters than the 
ordinary market bushel, as to secure uniformity in the case of the 
former the oysters are culled and the clusters broken to singles and 
doubles and carefully packed in the measure. 

Of less immediate importance, but greater potential significance 
than the marketable oysters, are the young ones. Upon them depends 
the future of the fishery. A bed with a large number of healthy 
young, not unduly subject to accident, is an asset of more value than 
a bed of old oysters whose future is imperiled by a deficiency of spat. 
That in this respect the principal beds covered by the survey are in 
good condition is shown by the following table: 

Summarized Content of Young Oysters on Public Beds. 



Name of bed. 



Character of oyster growth. 



Dense. 



Scatter- 
ing. 



Vfry 
scatter- 
ing. 



Depleted 



Total. 



Kings Bayou Reef 

Bayou Reef 

Cedar Point Reef 

Pass des Huitres 

Pass des Huitres Flats 

Dutch Gully 

Dutch Island 

Big Gully 

Peter Billys Gully 

Grants Pass 

Pass aux Herons 

Redfish Gully 

Black Lumps 

West Side Little Dauphin Island. 

Mussel Gully 

Sand Reef 

Dauphin Island Bay 

Sprinkels Bay 

Collier Bay 

East Base 

Half-Moon Patches 

Heron Bay, east side 

Heron Bay, west side 

Northwest Arm, Heron Bay 

Middle Ground 

Grassy Island 

Goose Bayou 

Southwest Van signal 

East of Marsh Island 

Planted oysters, Portersville Bay. 

North end, Portersville Bay 

West Side, Coffee Island 



Total. 



Bushels. 
11,544 
42,218 
14,000 
19, 345 
36, 112 
8,034 
13,524 
12, 496 
12, 636 
17,600 
49, 163 
48,279 



Bushels. 



5,610 
2,541 
6,390 
5,371 
4,218 
6,258 
2,770 



Bushels. 

8,200 

1,444 

864 



3,339 



286 
1,820 



23, 760 



11,285 
2,548 



16 

3,434 
1,674 



143 

118 
640 



116 



380 

70 

104 

2,000 



316,505 



53, 785 



1,014 



560 
' 3,354 



6,664 
522 

1,353 
798 

3,850 



104 
550 



4,280 
"2," 842 



244 



36, 643 



Bushels. 

324 

348 

4,984 



3,960 



2,940 
360 



1,078 

1,404 

1,632 

1,603 

26,400 

7,980 

741 

9 

240 



84 

420 



40 





54,547 



Bushels. 

20,068 

49, 620 

22, 389 

25, 735 

42,497 

12, 252 

23, 742 

15,266 

13, 196 

23,879 

53, 325 

48, 565 

9,562 

1,926 

2,985 

37,446 

32, 798 

7,980 

741 

9 

360 

4,127 

1,876 

1,060 

4,396 

40 

3,222 

70 

104 

2,000 

244 



461, 480 



46 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OP MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



It will be observed by comparing this table with that showing the 
content of market oysters that certain beds, such as Kings Bayou, 
Pass des Huitres, Dutch Island, etc., bear a quantity of small oysters 
in excess of those of marketable size. On other beds, particularly 
those like Bayou Reef, Pass aux Herons, etc., which have been most 
worked, the contrary is the case, the small being quantitatively less 
than the large. The reasons for this difference, particularly striking in 
view of the loss of large oysters which Bayou Reef, Pass aux Herons, and 
similar beds sustain through the fishery, may differ with the beds con- 
cerned. It is probable that Kings Bayou Reef, from its location, feels 
the effects of freshets, and many of the oysters are killed before they 
reach a large size, leaving a preponderance of young. On other beds the 
oysters are so densely crowded as to leave but little room for growth, or 
they may be disadvantageously situated with respect to the food supply, 
and the small oysters are stunted specimens rather than young. This 
fact is of some importance when the oysters are used as seed, for stunted 
oysters generally grow less rapidly than normal young when trans- 
planted to places where the growing conditions are more favorable. 

In considering the adequacy of the small oysters to maintain the 
future supply of marketable oysters, the measured quantity is mis- 
leading, owing to the difference in bulk of individuals at different 
ages. The significant real condition is the numerical relationship 
which is shown in the following table: 

Number op Oysters Under 3 Inches Long for Each One Over that Length 

on the Several Beds. 





Character of oyster growth. 


Name of bed. 


Dense. 


Scatter- 
ing. 


Very 
scatter- 
ing. 


Depleted. 


Kings Bayou Reef 


2.89 
1.47 
.94 
2.99 
2.21 
1.70 
2.55 
2.08 
3.02 
1.75 
1.02 
1.03 




5.17 
2.82 
2.06 


38.50 


Buoy Reef 


3.49 
2.12 
5.29 
2.14 
4.98 
6.86 
7.92 






No large. 






1.24 




Dutch Gully 








29.50 


Big Gully 






Peter Billys Gully 


2.37 






3.25 

7.74 

.73 

2.30 


7.10 




3.35 


8.66 


Redfish Gully 






6.42 
3.77 
10.29 
1.27 
1.23 


12.07 


West Side Little Dauphin Island 




4.74 


Mussel Gully 






No large. 
4.22 


Sand Reef 


.77 


1.42 
1.07 


Dauphin Island Bay 


35.33 


Sprinkels Bay 




113.83 


Collier Bay 








81.33 


East Base 








No large. 
No large. 


Half-Moon Patches 


.11 
1.20 
.50 




.53 
3.51 


Heron Bay, east side 


.29 


Heron Bay, west side 


1.00 


Northwest Arm, Heron Bay 


.84 




1.42 




1.04 


4.24 




Grassy Island 




1.75 


Goose Bayou 


.61 
.29 




1.81 




Southwest Van signal 






East of Marsh Island 






18.50 


Planted oysters, Portersville Bay 


1.23 








North end, Portersville Bay 




4.90 




West side, Coffee Island...: 



















OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 47 

It will be seen from this table that there is a considerable numerical 
preponderance of small over large oysters practically everywhere, 
excepting on the dense parts of Buoy, Grants Pass, Pass aux Herons, 
and Redfish Gully beds, which at present sustain the principal fishery 
in the region. On all of these the proportion of small to large oysters 
is less than 2 to 1, and on Pass aux Herons bed they are in approxi- 
mately equal numbers. 

In a region of rapid growth, such as that under consideration, it 
may be assumed that most, if not all, of the oysters under 3 inches 
long in January will measure more than that length in the following 
winter. Leaving out of consideration the question of mortality, the 
death rate among the oysters during the year in which they were 
progressing from the small to the market size, a bed on which during 
the winter there is one oyster under 3 inches for every one over that 
length should be in no immediate danger of depletion, provided the 
culling laws be observed. As a matter of fact, however, some of these 
oysters will die during the year and the rate of death will depend on 
the local conditions and the degree to which the beds are exposed to 
enemies and physical perils. There was disclosed during the survey 
no evidence of serious mortality from oyster enemies or other cause 
on the beds in the vicinity of Grants Pass, and it may be with safety 
assumed that young oysters of the sizes found in January will not 
suffer a greater average mortality than about 30 to 40 per cent within 
the year, unless subjected to freshets or other accidents. This 
estimate would fix the mini mum requirement of young oysters to 
maintain the present productiveness of the beds at 1 J for each market 
oyster present, or more accurately, for each one removed from the 
beds by death or by the fishery. 

As all of the market oysters can not be taken, it is apparent that 
none of the beds, with the possible exception of Pass aux Herons, 
are in immediate danger of depletion. The author does not think 
that even the excepted bed is threatened by the present extent of 
the fishery. 

In the year ended June 30, 1911, the tongers took from the public 
beds of Mobile County about 180,000 market bushels, mostly from 
Grants Pass, Pass aux Herons, and Redfish Gully. This, it will be 
observed, is considerably less than the estimated content of these 
beds in January, when a considerable quantity of their product 
already had been removed. These beds at that time contained about 
200,000 bushels of oysters over 3 inches long, or about 265,000 
bushels as they are measured for the market. 

Practically the only parts of the beds which can be fished with 
profit at the present time are those which are classed as dense and 
65397°— 13 4 



48 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 

scattering, aggregating 1,978 acres, with a total estimated marketable 
content of about 550,000 bushels of oysters. It is believed that these 
beds would safely sustain, with a proper observance of the culling 
laws, an annual yield double the present product of dredges and tongs 
combined, about 275,000 bushels. Many of the beds would be bene- 
fited by a reasonable fishery which would remove part of the oysters 
now going to waste, and allow room for the remainder to grow and 
improve. In many places a considerable proportion of the small 
oysters could be removed to advantage, and there would result a 
double benefit if they were used as seed on some of the barren bottom 
now going to waste. 

BARREN BOTTOMS. 

The area of barren bottoms — that is, those which are not naturally 
productive of oysters even in small quantities — vastly exceeds that 
of the natural beds, including in the latter those so-called depleted 
areas which bear practically nothing. These bottoms are barren 
mainly because of one character in which they differ from the pro- 
ductive areas, namely, that they are devoid of shells or other objects 
lying on the surface. They consist of sand or mud of varying degrees 
of stability and consistency. Oysters, immediately after they 
develop from the egg, for a brief period swim or float freely in the 
water, settling to a fixed condition only after they reach a stage of 
considerable development. 

It is not necessary to give more detail to this subject other than 
to say that at the time at which they are undergoing fixation the 
oysters are very minute, and a slight film of mud or slime is sufficient 
to stifle them. During the spawning season these little organisms 
are present in the water in untold myriads and are precipitated to the 
bottom in a continuous gentle drizzle of tiny specks. If they fall on 
an oyster bed they find firm supports on the shells and oysters, 
attach themselves and grow, but if they fall on the mud or bare sand 
they die. 

The natural beds have been slowly developed on bottom similar 
to that which surrounds them solely because through some agency 
there originally lodged on the mud or sand some hard objects to 
which the young oysters could safely cling. Oysters developing 
there, and their shells scattered about by the waves, furnished addi- 
tional places for fixation of new generations of young, with the result 
that the original growth extended in area and its base became a 
compact mass of shells and fragments, beneath which can still be 
found by excavation or probing the original bottom differing in no 
essential particular from the adjacent barren areas. 

a For a more extended account, see " Oysters and Methods of Oyster Culture," by H. F. Moore, Bureau 
of Fisheries, Document 349, which may be obtained by application to the Bureau of Fisheries, Washing- 
ton, D. C. 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OP MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 49 

All that is required by the barren bottom in order that it may 
become productive is that its surface should be supplied with hard 
objects or cultch, either through natural agencies or by the hand of 
man. The capacity of the bottom to sustain material deposited on 
it and to maintain it in proper condition to serve as cultch depends 
largely on its stability and consistency. Moving sands gradually 
cover objects deposited on their surface and soft mud permits them 
to sink. It is therefore of prime importance for the oyster culturist 
to have information concerning the character of the bottom and it 
was one of the purposes of the survey to supply it. 

The methods and the instrument employed have been described in 
the introductory part of this report and the results attained are 
shown graphically on the chart. No data concerning the bottom are 
supplied for that part of Mobile Bay covered by the survey, for the 
reason that the salinity of the water in that region is subject to such 
violent reduction by freshets as to interfere with successful oyster 
culture. The chart does not show all of the places at which the bot- 
tom was tested, enough stations only being shown to indicate the 
characteristics. It will be observed that the bottom in most of the 
deeper part of the sound is composed of either very soft mud or ooze 
and is entirely unsuitable for oyster planting. Furthermore, the 
hard bottom occurring close to the islands which form the south shore 
is composed principally of sand, which shifts during storms. There is 
a strip along the boundary between the mud and sand where the two 
materials are blended in such proportions as to give a fair degree of 
stability, but the zone is narrow, and in general it may be stated 
that to plant either in the very soft bottom of the deeper water or the 
sand of most of the south shore, excepting its extreme eastern end, is 
to invite disaster. 

With these two general regions eliminated there remains practically 
the north shore alone, of which the areas of bottom sufficiently firm 
to support oysters and shells are discussed in the following pages. 
The total area of the tracts containing bottoms suitable for oyster 
culture in that part of Mississippi Sound within the State is 24,420 
acres. It must be understood, however, that within the regions 
hereafter described there are usually areas of unsuitable bottom irreg- 
ularly distributed. 

NEAR HALF-MOON PATCHES. 

This area lies west of the Pass des Huitres beds and south of Half- 
Moon Patches, covering an area of approximately 400 acres. The 
bottom c insists principally of hard mud in its eastern half, gradually 
becoming softer toward the west. In places a soft surface 6 to 8 
inches deep is underlaid by hard or stiff mud and there are occasional 
small patches of scattered shells either at the surface or buried. 
Toward the northern part of the area there are a few clustered oysters. 



50 OYSTEE BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 

HERON BAY. 

Between the two natural beds lying on the opposite sides of this 
bay is an area of about 70 acres of muddy bottom ranging from 
moderately stiff to soft, a considerable part of which could be used 
for oyster culture. In places the mud holds buried shells. 

PORTERSVILLE BAY (INCLUDING FOWL RIVER BAY). 

In general, the whole of this bay, with the exception of its north- 
west quarter, has a bottom sufficiently firm for oyster planting, and 
even in the excepted area there is good bottom close to the shores. 
In Fowl River Bay the mud ranges from moderately soft to stiff, but 
in the southern half of Portersville Bay proper the bottom consists of 
hard and stiff mud and small patches of sand. In many places the 
bottom is stratified, a very compact layer underlying from 4 to 8 or 
10 inches of less hard material. Between Cat Island and Murder 
Point there are considerable quantities of oysters, indicated on the 
chart as private beds. It is estimated that about 5,250 acres of good 
planting bottom lie within the limits of Portersville and Fowl River 
Bays, including that held under riparian rights. 

SOUTH OF PORTERSVILLE BAY. 

From Marsh and Cat Islands a sand spit extends southward for a 
distance of about 3 miles. In the shoaler part of this toward the 
islands the bottom is shifting, but about a mile off shore in a depth 
of from 5 to 9 feet of water there is sufficient mud blended with the 
sand to give it stability. This area, lying just north of the middle 
of the sound opposite Marsh Island, covers approximately 1,700 
acres. 

WEST AND SOUTHWEST OF COFFEE ISLAND. 

In this region there is a triangular area with Coffee Island as its 
base and its apex about 1| miles to the westward, in which a con- 
siderable part of the bottom lies west and southwest of the southern 
part of the island, where it is composed of mud or a mixture of mud 
and sand close to shore, while within the limits of riparian control the 
bottom is generally hard or stiff. The total area included within 
his triangle is about 2,900 acres. 

NORTH END OF COFFEE ISLAND. 

This is a nearly semicircular area lying between the mainland and 
a line running from near the hotel on the north shore of Portersville 
Bay to a point about 1 mile west of the north end of Coffee Island, 
and thence to the mouth of Bayou la Battre. In a channel encircling 
the northern end of the island the bottom is soft, but in most other 
places it is fairly firm or, near the shores, hard. Most of the good 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 51 

bottom is within the rights of riparian owners. . The total area is 
about 1,110 acres. 

There is some good bottom near the shore in He aux Dames Bay, 
but the middle of the bay is soft. 

GRAND BAY. 

Practically all of Grand Bay, with the exception of a semicircular 
area near its mouth, has a hard or moderately hard bottom, which 
could be utilized with safety for purposes of oyster culture. Near 
the mouth there is some very soft bottom and the sand bars between 
which the deep channel passes are composed of unstable material 
shifting under the influence of the waves. The area of good bottom 
in the bay is about 5,000 acres. 

SOUTH OF GRAND BAY. 

Within the boundary formed by a line beginning about one-half 
mile off Point aux Pins and running south for about 5 miles, thence 
westerly toward Grand signal, to the State line, thence northward 
to within about one-half mile of Dunn signal, thence parallel with 
the shore of Grand Batture for about 2\ miles, and thence to the 
point of beginning is an area of bottom ranging in general consistence 
from hard to soft. A considerable part of this is, in its natural state, 
sufficiently firm to support oysters and shells, and much of the re- 
mainder could be rendered suitable at comparatively small expense. 
This is the largest continuous area of like nature within the limits of 
the survey, containing 8,000 acres. In places it appears to offer 
supreme advantages for the growth of market oysters from seed, 
as it will probably be found that the drill will kill off any undesir- 
able set of spat without attacking the seed. 

GENERAL PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS. 

TIDES AND CURRENTS. 

Staff tide gauges were established at Grants Pass and at the can- 
nery wharf at Coden. The former was maintained from November 
18, 1910, to January 19, 1911, and the latter from January 6 to Jan- 
uary 29, 1911. The former was referred to the bench mark estab- 
lished on Grants Island by the United States Engineer's Office, 
which is described as follows : 

The bench mark is the top of a 2-inch pipe which was driven in the ground, a fence 
placed around it and filled with concrete to within one-half inch of the top of the pipe. 
The letters U.S.B.M. were written in the concrete before it set. The bench mark is 
at the northwest side of and near the keeper's house on Grants Island. It has an 
elevation of 2.654 feet above mean low tide in Mobile Bay as determined by this 
office. (J. M. Pratt, Assistant Engineer, United States Engineer's Office, Mobile, Ala. , 
Dec. 10, 1910.) 



52 



OYSTEB BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



The top of the bench mark accorded with reading 3.65 on the 
scale of the staff gauge. 

The tides in this region, as in general on the Gulf coast, are small, 
averaging from 1 to 1| feet in height, but reaching 2\ feet under cer- 
tain conditions of wind, etc. 

No special observations were made of the velocity of the currents, 
but in general they are sufficient for the transport of food and water 
to the oysters in all places covered by the survey. 

SALINITY OF THE WATER. 

As is well known, the quantity of salt in the water is an important 
factor in determining the growth and character of oysters. Neither 
fresh water nor that of full oceanic saltness is suitable for the oyster 
itself, and, moreover, the degree of saltness often determines the pres- 
ence, absence, or relative abundance of such oyster enemies as the 
drill or borer. During the survey upward of 300 specific-gravity 
observations were made to determine the condition of the water in 
respect to its content of salt. Three tests were made daily on the 
Fish Hawk, and in addition observations were taken on the oyster 
beds and in their immediate vicinity. The following table is a sum- 
mary of all of the ship's observations, supplemented by some of those 
taken on and near the important natural beds : 

Specific Gravity of Water at Various Places and Dates. 







Average 


Average 


Maximum 


Minimum 


Locality. 


Date. 


temper- 


specific 


specific 


specific 






ature. 


gravity. 


gravity. 


gravity. 


Mobile Bay: 


1910. 


°F. 








Near Buoy Reef 


Nov. 17-24 


60 


1. 0166 


1. 0206 


" 1. 0122 


2 miles east of Grants Pass 


Nov. 29-Dec.l. 

Nov. 23 

Nov. 24 

Dec. 7-9 


56 

57 
63 

48 


1. 0206 
1. 0178 
1. 0193 
1. 0186 


1. 0215 
1. 0191 


1. 0201 




1.0165 








1. 0210 


1. 0156 




Dec. 29-Jan. 5. 


50 


1. 0150 


1. 0200 


1. 0114 


Mississippi Sound, 1 to 2 miles off Mid 


Dec. 5-7 


51 


1. 0235 


1. 0247 


1.0223 


Signal. 














Dec. 12-16 


54 


1. 0209 


1. 0235 


1. 0173 




Dec. 20-22 


51 


1. 0213 


1. 0220 


1. 0206 




Dec. 29-Jan. 2. 


57 


1. 0191 


1. 0219 


1.0187 




Mar. 20-24 


66 


1. 0198 


1. 0216 


1. 0160 




1911. 










Portersville Bay 


Jan. 10-11 


54 


1. 0137 


1. 0167 


1. 0108 




1910. 










Mississippi Sound, one-half mile west of 


Dec. 9-11 


54 


1. 0228 


1. 0240 


1.0223 


Coffee Island. 














Dec. 17-20 


55 


1. 0219 


1. 0236 


1. 0211 




Dec. 22-24 


50 


1. 0205 


1. 0210 


1. 0196 




Dec. 27-28 


56 


1. 0205 


1. 0213 


1.0203 




1911. 












Jan. 3-9 


49 


1. 0207 


1. 0227 


1. 0180 




Jan. 10-16 


59 


1. 0180 


1. 0214 


1. 0150 




Mar. 14-19 


64 


1. 0205 


1. 0222 


1. 0174 




Mar. 25-27 


63 


1. 0198 


1. 0216 


1. 0160 




Mar. 29-Apr. 1. 


65 


1. 0197 


1. 0206 


1. 0188 




Apr. 6-9 


74 


1. 0170 


1. 0203 


1. 0148 


Mississippi Bay, 1\ miles south of Grand 


Jan. 17-20 


61 


1. 0178 


1. 0194 


1. 0154 


Bay. 














Jan. 24-28 


62 


1. 0175 


1. 0206 


1. 0141 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 53 

It will be observed that the readings in Mississippi Sound, includ- 
ing those on the beds near Grants Pass, cover the period from Novem- 
ber 24, 1910, to April 9, 1911, with an intermission from January 17 
to March 13. During this period the average specific gravity varied 
with time and place between 1.0150 and 1.0235 as compared with 
fresh water as 1.0000 and full ocean water between about 1.0250 and 
1.0260. The lowest specific gravity observed during this period was 
1.0114 near Pass des Huitres on January 25 and the highest was 
1.0247 off Mid Signal early in December. 

The maximum specific gravities are probably as high as usually 
occur in this region, but in times of freshet in neighboring streams 
the water undoubtedly becomes much fresher than was observed dur- 
ing the survey. In February and March, 1894, when the previous 
reconnoissance was made, the water at the bottom of the east end of 
Grants Pass was 1.0028, at the north end of Portersville Bay 1.0036, 
about 1 mile southeast of Point aux Herbs 1.0063, and in the mouth 
of Heron Bay 1 .0000 or absolutely fresh, in all cases being much lower 
in salinity than at the corresponding season of 1911. 

These low salinities are all of them below that which is desirable 
for the production of the best oysters, and the lowest, if it long pre- 
vailed, would prove fatal. It is apparent, however, that these con- 
ditions are but occasional and that normally they do little or no harm. 
It is probable even that they are beneficial in periodically reducing 
the saltness of the water below that which can be tolerated by the 
drill or borer and by that means keeping that destructive enemy from 
becoming so numerous as to menace the beds. 

OYSTER FOOD. 

In reports on previous surveys a feature usually has been made of 
the subject of the quantity of oyster food carried by the waters. 
These discussions have been confined practically to diatoms, minute 
microscopic plants, which authors generally have been prone to regard 
as supplying practically all of the oyster's nutriment. Volumetric 
studies of the microorganism content of the water begun in connec- 
tion with the survey of Matagorda Bay ° in 1905 revealed a quantity 
so smair as to excite the author's suspicion that the living matter was 
of less relative importance than had been generally supposed. 

It appeared possible, however, that the quantity of water filtered 
by the oyster might be greater than generally supposed and digestion 
more rapid, and that despite appearances the small quantity of micro- 
scopic living organisms in the water and present in the stomach at 
any one time might be sufficient to furnish material for the growth and 
general physiological activities of a sluggish animal like the oyster. 

a Survey of Oyster Bottoms in Matagorda Bay, Tex. By H. F. Moore. Bureau of Fisheries Docu- 
ment No. 610. 



54 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 

To test the matter, apparatus and methods ° were devised for the 
volumetric determination of the organisms actually eaten during 
comparable periods of time. The result of this work, which has been 
carried on at intervals for several years by the author and Mr. T. E. B. 
Pope, has shown that while the quantity of water filtered is great, 
averaging, roughly, about 30 quarts daily for oysters 4£ inches long, 
the volume of the living food is insufficient to account for the actual 
growth of the oyster, making no allowance for the requirements of 
the other vital activities. It appears that finely divided organic 
debris or detritus, which constitutes the major part of the material 
ingested, plays a more important role in the oyster diet than has been 
conceded, a view which recently has been advanced by Petersen and 
Jensen. 6 

In view of these facts and probabilities, and the present impossi- 
bility of establishing a standard for the expression of the quantity of 
food available, the data respecting the food content of the water col- 
lected during this survey will not be stated here. A special paper on 
the entire subject of the food and feeding of oysters will be issued 
on the completion of the studies. 

It may be stated from observation of the oysters and on general 
grounds that the food supply in Mississippi Sound and minor con- 
tiguous waters is ample. 

OYSTER ENEMIES. 

The survey, since it was carried on during the colder season of the 
year, was not favorably timed for the study of the enemies of the 
oyster in this region. The only ones observed were a few drills and 
mussels, but the drumfish also is known to occur. 

Drill, borer, snail, whelk, conch, etc. (Purpura Jisemostoma) . — A com- 
paratively small number of the animals variously known by these sev- 
eral names was found on the natural oyster beds, particularly those in 
the vicinity of Little Dauphin Island from Pass aux Herons south- 
ward. This is the region nearer the mouth of Mobile Bay, and there- 
fore the more accessible to the influx of salt water from the open Gulf. 

On some of these beds the drills were found at their work of destruc- 
tion but in other places their presence at times was to be inferred only 
by the mortality, especially among the spat and young oysters, which 
are more susceptible than adult oysters to their attacks. 

It can not be stated that these enemies were particularly destruc- 
tive at the time of the survey, but it is reported that many oysters 
have been destroyed by them at intervals in the past, and, as might be 

a Volumetric studies of the food and feeding of oysters. By H. F Moore. (Proceedings of the Fourth 
International Fishery Congress, Washington, 1908.) Bulletin Bureau of Fisheries, vol. xxvm, 1908, 
p. 1295-1308. 

b Valuation of the Sea. I.— Animal life of thu sea bottom, its food and quantity. By C G. Joh. 
Petersen and P. Boysen Jensen. Report of the Danish Biological Station, xx. Copenhagen, 1911. 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 55 

expected, their inroads appear to have been coincident with periods 
of prevalence of highly salt water on the beds. 

The drill or whelk lays its eggs in red or purple leathery capsules 
about one-half inch long and attached in clusters to shells, snags, and 
other firm bodies in the water. The young become destructive to the 
minute spat immediately on emerging from the egg cases, they grow 
rapidly, and progress in destructiveness as they increase in size. They 
destroy the oysters by drilling a small round hole through the shell, 
using for the purpose a flexible rasp-like organ lying at the end of a 
protrusible proboscis. After the shell is perforated the proboscis is 
thrust into the shell and the contents eaten, other drills sometimes 
partaking of the feast by entering the gaping shell of the dead or 
dying oyster. Most of the oysters destroyed are under 2 inches long. 

Mussels. — The common black sea mussel is a passive enemy of 
oysters through its tendency to attach to them and under favorable 
conditions to grow so rapidly and in such numbers as to cover them 
completely and stifle them. Also, as its food is the same as that of 
the oyster, its abundance reduces the supply and in that way deprives 
the oyster of the nutriment required to make it fat and marketable. 
Even when neither of these effects are important, mussels injure the 
fishery, owing to the tenacity with which they are anchored to the 
oyster, this increasing the labor of culling and making the oyster so 
unsightly from the adhering fibers of the byssus as to considerably 
reduce its market value if sold as shell stock. The conditions which 
make for the abundance of the mussel are not thoroughly understood, 
but on the Gulf coast it appears to be controlled largely by the relative 
freshness of the water, the mussels generally flourishing where the 
salinity is low for prolonged periods. Comparatively few were found 
in the region surveyed and it is probable that they never or rarely 
become troublesome on account of the high salinity frequently 
occurring. 

Drumfislb {Pogonias cromis). — This, the "black drum," was not 
observed during the survey, but it is a destructive enemy of the 
oyster in other parts of the Gulf coast and is reported to destroy oys- 
ters on the beds of Alabama. It is migatory, making sudden forays 
and leaving, with destruction in its wake, often before its presence 
has been noticed. It destroys the oysters by crushing them between 
the stout grinding teeth or bones with which its mouth is furnished, 
and it is peculiarly destructive to the better grade of planted beds, 
on which the oysters have been culled and separated to permit them 
to grow and improve in shape and quality. It is especially likely to 
attack the culled oysters within a few weeks of the time when they 
are planted, but they are not immune at any time. In Louisiana the 
drumfish is so destructive in places that the oystermen find it neces- 
sary to exclude them by surrounding their bedding grounds with wire 
fences. 



56 OYSTEK BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 

Oysters in the natural beds, especially when they are much clus- 
tered and of the sharp-edged raccoon type, are rarely injured seri- 
ously, as the sharp edges of the shells, presented in all directions, 
lacerate the lips and mouths of the fish and deter them from extensive 
destruction. Occasionally the small oysters culled off by the oyster- 
men are damaged. 

The drumfish occurs in waters of all degrees of salinity, from fresh 
or practically fresh to full oceanic density. 

SPAWNING. 

The survey was conducted at the season when the reproductive 
functions of oysters are in abeyance, and therefore no definite state- 
ment of the spawning season in Alabama can be made. Various 
Investigations carried on by the Bureau at the western end of 
Mississippi Sound, where the general conditions affecting spawning 
are essentially the same as at the eastern end, make it possible to 
indicate with some precision the period during which the spawn is 
likely to be emitted. 

It is probable that the eggs may ripen even in the winter, during 
sustained warm periods, buu it is doubtful if in these cases, even 
though the eggs be fertilized, development ever proceeds far enough 
to secure a set of spat. The normal spawning probably occurs from 
April to October, as it does in similar waters in Louisiana, and clean 
shells or other cultch planted during those months should receive a 
good set of spat. The young oysters are free-swimming organisms 
during a short period of their early life, and ac thoy arc produced in 
untold myriads on the crowded natural beds and carried considerable 
distances by the currents, the water over a large part of the sound 
must be teeming with the fry during the favorable part of the' year. 
Most of these embryo oysters perish through falling on unsuitable 
bottom at the beginning of the shell formation, when they are still 
barely visible to the unaided eye and may be stifled by an exceedingly 
thin deposit of mud or slime. Those fortunate enough to alight on 
shells or other oysters, and similar firm supports, survive in large 
numbers, as is witnessed by the crowded condition of the beds, but 
over the vastly greater proportion of the bottom there is nothing to 
afford a haven. The only fundamental difference between an oyster 
bed and the surrounding barren bottom is that the former presents 
places for the attachment of the spat and the latter does not. 

Many free-swimming oyster fry die as the result of sudden drops in 
the temperature, though this is not common on the Gulf coast; and 
many are killed by heavy rainfalls. The latter also tend to retard or 
suspend spawning through lowering the salinity of the water, and it 
frequently happens that heavy freshets defer spawning until summer. 
As freshets usually leave the shells and other cultch in excellent con- 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 57 

dition so far as cleanliness is concerned, probably through the destruc- 
tion of slime-producing organisms, it frequently happens that a late 
spawning season produces an enormous set. 

OYSTER CULTURE. 

In the United States oyster culture is carried on by two methods, 
the planting of seed or young oysters and the deposit of shells and 
similar materials on the bottom for the purpose of securing the fixa- 
tion of spat. The first of these is that which is generally, if not exclu- 
sively, employed in Mobile County, Ala., and it is probable that in 
the immediate future it will continue to be the dominant practice in 
that region. 

The large number of small oysters in certain of the natural beds, 
as described in the foregoing pages, renders it advisable that some 
of them be removed to permit the proper growth and fattening of the 
remainder. These superfluous young can be utilized to best advan- 
tage if planted on suitable barren or depleted bottom. For ordinary 
cannery purposes merely the roughest culling of this seed is required, 
but if it be desired to produce oysters for consumption on the shell or 
for shipping raw shucked, the large clusters should be broken up. 
By this means only can they be grown to goodly shape, for it crowded 
they must accommodate themselves to the space available and will 
develop into irregular and inferior stock. It is usually not necessary 
to break the clusters into single oysters, and it is often inadvisable to 
do so, especially in localities in which the drumfish is likely to occur 
in numbers. As has already been explained this fish is particularly 
destructive to culled oysters. The method of planting shells, etc., 
to promote the attachment of young oysters is highly productive in 
many localities on the coast of the United States, and in the case of a 
large development of the oyster industry in Alabama is that in which 
chief reliance must be placed. The system first described saves 
oysters which have already set and gives them an opportunity to 
survive and improve, but shell or cultch planting increases the set by 
preventing the loss of the fry falling on muddy and other unsuitable 
bottoms. 

It is not necessary to give here an account of the methods of oyster 
culture, as the subject is discussed in a special pamphlet which may 
be obtained, on request, of the Bureau of Fisheries. 

Within the limits of the survey oyster culture is at present carried 
on principally along the north shore of Mississippi Sound, although it 
is understood that there are a few small planted beds in Dauphin 
Island Bay and vicinity. The north shore beds are located in Heron, 
Portersville, Fowl River, and Isle aux Dames Bays. No oysters 

a Oysters and methods of oyster culture. By H. F. Moore. Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 349. 
Extract from Manual of Fish Culture, p. 263-340, pi. i-xvm, 1900. 



58 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 

from Heron Bay were examined, but some of excellent quality were 
seen in the last three localities mentioned. The State bed in Porters- 
ville Bay was planted too dense and the quality of its product was 
correspondingly inferior. 

The private beds at the time of the survey were apparently all or 
practically all held under rights attaching to the ownership of the 
adjacent shores, this until recently being the only manner in which 
oyster culture could be legally conducted. 

It is now possible, however, to procure from the State the lease of 
barren bottoms beyond riparian control, and this should result in a 
material increase in the extent of oyster planting and in the pros- 
perity and development of the entire oyster industry of the State. 

As is shown in the chart and explained in the section relating to 
barren bottoms, there are considerable areas of suitable bottom 
remote from the shores, and in some cases lying well out in the 
sound in a depth of water permitting the use of methods warranting 
operations on a large scale. The possible drawback to some of these 
offshore locations is the occasional high salinity of the water, which 
may permit the drill to flourish at times and prove destructive, but 
on the other hand it might operate to prevent an undue develop- 
ment of young oysters on seed too large for the drill to injure. On 
the other hand, they are less subject than the inshore waters to dam- 
age by freshets. For operations on a smaller scale, in which ease of 
guarding agairjst theft and facility in tonging are considerations, the 
shallower waters off Portersville and Grand Bay offer advantages. 

RESUME, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 

The following epitomizes the facts developed by the survey,, the 
deductions made therefrom, and recommendations based on them 
and a consideration of the general conditions obtaining in Mobile 
County: 

1. The survey embraced Mississippi Sound in Alabama and the 
adjacent part of Mobile Bay, including both the natural oyster beds 
and the barren bottoms. 

2. It was found that the natural oyster beds within this region 
embraced 4,008 acres, nearly all being near the junction of Mobile 
Bay and Mississippi Sound. Of this area practically one-half bore 
oysters in sufficient quantity to warrant tonging and, to a less extent, 
dredging. On the remainder the oysters are too scattered to be com- 
mercially available; but between 500 and 1,000 acres are likely to 
become productive eventually should there be several years of heavy 
strike. Probably 1,000 acres are not likely to become productive 
under natural conditions for many years. 

3. It is conservatively estimated that in January, 1911, these beds 
contained approximately 600,000 bushels of oysters over 3 inches long 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI 'SOUND, ALA. 59 

and about 460,000 bushels of smaller ones. As the oysters are meas- 
ured in the fishery, these estimates would be increased to about 
800,000 and 600,000 bushels, respectively. As an active fishery had 
been conducted for some time prior to January, the content of the 
beds at the beginning of the season was considerably greater. 

4. Although the quantity of small oysters on these beds is less than 
of oysters of marketable size, they are numerically in excess. On the 
areas indicated as bearing a dense growth there are two small oys- 
ters and on the scattering growth four small oysters to each one 
over 3 inches long. As an average of one year would be sufficient to 
promote most of the young to the marketable class, it is apparent 
that in the absence of disaster due to freshets or oyster enemies it 
would be safe to take from these beds at least about 600,000 bushels, 
as measured by oystermen, without fear of depletion. This is over 
twice the quantity taken in Mobile County during 1911. Some of the 
beds do not at present produce oysters of good quality; but these 
would doubtless improve under a judicious removal of part of their 
contents either for canning or, preferably, for transplanting either on 
depleted natural beds or on private grounds. 

5. While the increased take from Ijie natural beds indicated in the 
preceding paragraph as safely allowable would permit a valuable 
expansion in the oyster industry of the State, it without doubt will 
not suffice for the supply of the ultimate demand, and eventually it 
will be necessary to greatly increase the area of the oyster-producing 
bottom. The demand will have two sources — the canneries and the 
shell-stock and raw-shucking trade. "While the former can be sat- 
isfied by the class of oyster produced by the natural reefs, the latter 
to a large extent demands a better grade. The demand, therefore, 
will be for not only an increase in quantity, but an improvement in 
quality. 

6. The conditions stated at the close of the preceding paragraph 
can not be fully satisfied excepting by a resort to oyster culture 
under private ownership, with its consequent demand of personal 
interest and attention. Until recently the laws of Alabama have 
restricted the rights to engage in oyster culture to riparian owners 
and their lessees, but the present law permits the lease of any barren 
bottoms belonging to the State. According to the survey, these are 
in Mississippi Sound and its contiguous bodies within the limits of 
Alabama, approximately 25,000 acres of barren bottom suitable for 
oyster planting or which can be made suitable at small expense. 
Part of this is in open waters with considerable depth and part in 
sheltered shallow places, thus affording advantages for operation on 
both large and small scales. 

7. In common with other places on the Gulf coast, these waters 
offer to the oyster planter a field less exposed to the storms and 



60 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 

rigors of winter and therefore less subject to interruption than in the 
North, but on the other hand with a shorter season owing to the late 
fall and early spring. They have the further advantage that a yearly 
set of spat is assured and the growth much more rapid than in other 
waters. The enemies to contend with are no worse than in many 
places in the North, but in the inshore waters there is possibly more 
frequent damage from freshets. 

8. The sparse population on the shores near the oyster bottoms 
renders the oysters little subject to injurious pollution from drainage 
and sewage discharges. This consideration is an important asset at 
a time when the spread of infection through oysters is a matter of 
such widespread public concern, and for business reasons, if for no 
others, the cleanliness of the beds and the treatment of the oysters 
should be jealously safeguarded. For this reason the process of 
floating, freshening, or " fattening" the oysters should be rigorously 
supervised and absolutely prohibited if streams or other waters 
receiving a sewage discharge or similar contamination are utilized for 
the purpose. Not only the State oyster commission and boards of 
health but the oystermen themselves should see that nothing is done 
to jeopardize public health. Aside from the moral aspect of the 
matter the future of the oyster industry depends largely on a main- 
tenance of the reputation of its product for cleanliness and whole- 
Bomeness. 

9. One of the most valuable and certainly the most enduringly 
valuable results of the survey is the establishment of permanently 
marked and accurately determined triangulation points by the 
United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, supplemented by a few 
established by the Bureau of Fisheries. In all future surveys of 
leased bottoms, these should be utilized and the corners of the lease- 
holds determined by reference to them. A strict and consistent 
compliance with this recommendation will prevent disputes and 
litigation should oyster planting become as important as it has in 
other places and it will insure accuracy in the surveys, guaranteeing 
an honest return to the State from the rental of its barren bottoms. 



U. S. B. F.— Doc. 769. 



Plate I. 




OYSTER CLUSTER FROM GRANTS PASS. 



U. S. B. F— Doc. It 



Plate 




SINGLE OYSTER FROM GRANTS PASS. 



U. S. B. F.— Doc. 769. 



Plate III. 





U. S. B. F.— Doc. 769. 



Plate IV. 





OYSTER CLUSTER FROM STATE-PLANTED BED IN PORTERSVILLE BAY. 



U. S. B. F.— Doc. 769. 



Plate V. 




SINGLE OYSTER FROM PRIVATE-PLANTED BED IN PORTERSVILLE BAY. 



DESCRIPTION OF CHART. 

The chart shows the character and location of the natural oyster beds and the barren 
bottom. The oyster beds are included within solid orange lines and the density of the 
growth of oysters over 3 inches long is indicated by the relative intensity of the shading. 
In this classification the small oysters are disregarded and it therefore may happeH 
that a dense growth of oysters under 3 inches in length may occur in an area shown as 
scattering. 

Barren bottom is unshaded, but its character as to consistency is indicated by 
circular symbols. Hard bottom is shown by solid black circles, ooze by circles with a 
horizontal diameter, and intermediate consistencies by intermediate symbols. The 
more open the circle, the softer is the bottom which it represents. Not all stations at 
which the bottom was tested are shown, the purpose being to indicate the general 
Character and the transitions from one to the other. 

Depths are expressed in feet and refer to mean low water. 

The triangulation stations of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, which 
were determined with great accuracy and are permanently marked with concrete 
monuments, are shown by triangles with an included circle. 

The subsidiary triangulation stations of the Bureau of Fisheries, less accurately 
determined and marked by concrete monuments with an iron pipe in the center, are 
shown by means of circles. The names of the stations are those used by the hydro- 
graphic party and are usually abbreviations of the full lame used by the Coast and 

Geodetic Survey. 

61 

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